Heir to the Goddess
by Orpheus Kidwell
Summary: Three chosen for greatness. One to reign over the Heavens. One to lead Darkness. One to be the Light. The triplet heirs of Kushina and Minato are special. Destinies unchangable and fates chosen because of their parent's actions. A battle of the Sun, Moon and Sky. Which heir will triumph and who shall fall in agonizing defeat? NarutoxHarem. Uzumakicest.
1. Chapter 1

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.****

 ** **Chapter I: Black Sun****

 ** **"Where are you going, Naruto-niichan?"****

 ** **"Anywhere but here!"****

That had been hours ago and Tsunami was beginning to worry over her brother. She should have gone after him...

Uzumaki-Namikaze Tsunami was but seven years old with auburn hair tied in a braided ponytail over her left shoulder to her waist, azure eyes and tanned skin with three whisker-like birthmarks deeply etched on each cheek. As for her clothing, it consisted of a snow-white haori tied by a red obi with a loose skirt past her knees and black sandals on her feet with red straps.

"Stop pacing Tsunami. Tou-san and kaa-san aren't worried so we shouldn't be either." Arashi told her with a sigh. The three of them were the triplet heirs of Uzumaki Kushina and Namikaze Minato, Naruto born two minutes ahead of Arashi and five ahead of her.

Arashi himself had golden hair streaked by crimson pulled back in a tight, pineapple-shaped ponytail, dark purple eyes, tan skin and had the same birthmarks as Tsunami, though much lighter. He wore a black shirt and pants as well as had a black, ankle-length trench coat on the back of the chair he sat on.

Tsunami sighed. "I suppose you're right. This black sun is just getting to me I suppose. I've been uneasy ever since this morning at dawn, back when it started."

Arashi nodded. "It is rather strange. I have read of eclipses lasting for hours but never a whole day."

"What does it mean?" Tsunami wondered aloud.

"Nothing too bad I hope..." Arashi muttered. "I mean, what could the moon ever do to us?"

 ** **Forest of Death, Some Hours Before****

"Stupid parents..." Naruto grumbled as he hopped to another tree. "Not training me just because I don't have the Chains like Arashi or Kyubi like Tsunami." He was still special...

"No one else has a Shijo but us three... but I'm still ignored... five elements and I'm ignored!" Naruto sighed as he remember last week when they each used the special Uzumaki way of seeing alignments.

 ** **Flashback Start****

"This is a very special seal." Kushina said with a smile as the triplets stood in a room of the Compound with their mother. "There are seven circles surrounding the stone podium in the middle. When you step on it the circles corresponding to one of the seven affinities that you might hold will create a pillar of a certain color. Crimson for Fire, Silver for Wind, Gold for Lightning, Amber for Earth, Azure for Water, Black for Yin and White for Yang.

"Tsunami, you first." She declared and the redhead nodded before walking up to the podium and immediately five pillars formed. One was crimson, one was gold, one was amber, one was azure and the last was white. As they rose, they then swirled into a vortex and came to a point where a minituare Sun formed at the tip.

Kushina's eyes widened. "A... Shijo?" she asked with amazement.

"Shijo, kaa-san?" Naruto asked curiosly.

"A Kekkai Shijo." Arashi supplied. "Five elemental affinities working in conjunction to create a brand new sub-elemental affinity. The only documented cases have been either direct products of interclan marriage or a dojutsu. No clan has a primary bloodline being a Kekkai Shijo, a Seigyo - four elements working together - yes, but never a Shijo."

"Has that ever been documented?" Tsunami asked as she pointed up at the giant orb of solar energy.

"Once in our clan but... I need to see something. Arashi, you go up next." The blonde nodded and headed up the podium as Tsunami stood next to Naruto once more.

Immediately five pillars rose up again - these ones being silver, gold, azure, white and black - before intertwining and at the point of convergence the colors spread to create an endless expanse of azure filled with white puffs scattered over it.

"Naruto, you now." Kushina said quickly and he hopped up on the podium. Once he did five pillars once again rose up. His were crimson, gold, amber, azure and black and the came together to form a silver orb at the top that resembled a full moon.

 ** **Flashback End****

She still never told the three what their Shijo were and Arashi hadn't found anything on them yet. Although there were some Uzumaki and Namikaze scrolls on smaller sub-elements that they might be able to train.

"Maybe I'll look into some of those later..." Naruto mumbled to himself and went further into the forest, all alone. He shook his head from those thoughts. "I need to get to training... if they won't teach me, I'll teach myself."

As he jumped from tree to tree, Naruto's three-inch spikes of snow-white hair flew back in the breeze as his pale, electric blue eyes focused on finding the next branch to land on. Unlike his siblings, he had pale skin and his birthmarks were not whisker-like marks but he had two red dots on his forehead instead. He wore a silvery-white yukata tied with a snow white obi which, while strange, felt right to him.

As he landed on another branch, Naruto stopped and felt the need to look up at the black orb in the sky and smiled. The moon... it always made him feel comfortable and even during this eclipse when others might feel uneasy, he felt at peace.

Shaking from those thoughts, Naruto began hopping to lower and lower branches before hitting the floor. He felt grateful that his parents at least taught him how to tree climb and hop in their personal forest training ground at the area of the Senju Compound that was given to their parents by Tsunade and became the Uzumaki-Namikaze Compound.

He nodded at the small grove he had found and felt it was acceptable for his uses as he reached inside his yukata and pulled out a scroll he definitely was not allowed to have.

Opening it, Naruto read the title and smirked to himself. "The Shadow Clone Jutsu... the only non-elemental solid clone jutsu that doesn't require a bloodline to learn. Not to mention one of the Uzumaki Clan's hijutsu."

He began reading the scroll itself and it seemed simple enough to him. When you used the ram seal to mold your chakra you could create a clone of your very essence that had all your skills, memories and abilities. If your control was good, it could take more than one hit, otherwise one killing blow and it was gone. When the Shadow Clone was dispelled the memories it had would be transferred to the creator.

"No wonder this is one of the ninjutsu we have to learn as a foundation." Naruto said. "With it all training becomes much simpler." Naruto smirked and held a ram seal, beginning his first of what he thought would be many attempts to perform the jutsu.

Something strange happened though. As he held his hands clasped, he felt his chakra moving of its own accord, like it already knew how to perform this. He didn't fight it. It happened during his tree climbing exercises too. Arashi had done it in an hour. Tsunami had it in three. He kept going all day but once the moon came out... his body sort of just knew what to do. He was just more comfortable with his silvery-white guardian in the sky.

The chakra built up in his hands and was fit to burst as he finally used the single command that would shape the chakra as he wanted it to. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He intoned as the chakra disappeared and a cloud of smoke manifested before him.

As the smoke cleared, he was surprised to see something different than him. A full-grown woman with skin and hair matching his, matching birthmarks, pale eyes with three tomoe in each of them, horns atop her forehead and dressed very nobly in a similar yukata to his. In her eyes was power and dignity, but also held a softness as she looked at him. The combination made Naruto step back as that was how his kaa-san always used to look at him before the affinity testing.

"Who are you?"

"I am Otsutsuki Kaguya, the second coming of Tsukiyomi, spirit of the moon, mother of the Sage and princess of the Empire. I am the Goddess who resides within you, my heir, Naruto-chan."

"Goddess? Inside me?" Naruto pondered this. "But... why? Why choose me of all people?"

"You are a direct descendant of my children, Naruto-chan. On your own you would have activated my grandchildren's abilities, but you are even greater than that. I have chosen you as my heir, my second coming."

Naruto scrunched his pale blue orbs in focus. "Grandchildren?"

"The man your people know as the Rikudo Sennin was one of my children, my other, Hamura, birthed the Hyuga, Maboroshi and Kaguya clans. Hagoromo is the ancestor of the Senju, Uzumaki and Uchiha."

"I would have... got the bloodlines of six clans?" Naruto asked. When the woman known as Kaguya nodded he had to sit down. "That's... just wow."

"As my heir, you automatically have three without their flaws now." Kaguya said. "The clans which were birthed by Hamura. Your eyes have a cross of the Byakugan and Yureigan while your body has the Dead Bone Pulse. Hagoromo's children's bloodlines will have to be activated on your own though."

"Right... how come no one has known this though?" Naruto asked. "Sensors or veterans of the wars..."

"Your bloodlines only activate when I take the block off them. I can't let them fully activate yet as my power is strained and varies on the moon's phase. Not to mention I have to share my power with the Jubi so as long as the biju are kept apart in the Nations."

"Um..." Naruto said, unsure of most of what she said.

"During a Dark Moon I am at my weakest and can't even communicate with you. During a White Moon, I can fully come into the material plane through your clone. At any Eclipse I can do the same. All other phases and I can only communicate telepathically and maybe take control of one of your bloodlines to aid you in this plane."

"I think I understand." Naruto nodded. "Is that why I always felt stronger on a Full Moon and uneasy on a New?"

"Yes. Because of me, the moon will protect you if it can. I am most powerful on an eclipse like this, so I will use it to give you your first gift. Others will activate over time, Naruto-chan. When they do I will do what I can to teach you how to use them."

"What gift am I getting?" Naruto asked as Kaguya opened a rift to another plane of existence and out of it floated dust... silver dust.

"Silver is the moon's metal, with this gift the silver will both protect you of its own will and do as you will it. It will take some time to perfect it completely, but you can do it. In addition, I will activate the first ability of your left Yureigan that will help you to escape a fight you cannot win." She pressed a finger surrounded by a silver aura to his forehead and Naruto clutched his left eye, trying to go past the pain.

"What... did you do?" He asked as he finally opened his eye again to look at her.

"Flight of the Spectre is your first ability. I will teach you how to use it before the next Black Moon comes and it will become extremely useful to you." She then kneeled in front of him and smiled softly as she placed her hands on his cheeks.

Naruto looked back into her eyes as she spoke. "I don't want you to suffer the fate you would have if I hadn't chosen you. I know what will happen if I don't aid you. When I come to this plane in a permanent body once more, I will show you the love you deserve. For now... just let me train you. Your siblings have their own teachers in your parents. I will be yours."

Naruto nodded once. "O-okay... sensei."

"Call me... kaa-san."


	2. Chapter 2

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter II: Back Home****

"Calm down, Kushina-chan. Explain this one more time so I can understand, okay?" Namikaze Minato begged his wife from within his study at the Compound. The Black Sun shone outside into the window.

Kushina herself was pacing. "I had to be sure, you see. It is a big deal! Naruto-chan... he is... special. I had my first thoughts at his birth when he showed the signs of... of..."

"Of a Kaguya?" Minato asked and she nodded. "We knew that was a possibility though. The Uzumaki and Kaguya were allies in the Clan Wars, so he just awakened dormant blood within himself. His Dead Bone Pulse shouldn't activate if he doesn't feel threatened though. The disease won't affect him either since he's an Uzumaki first and foremost."

"Hai, hai. That's not all though. The affinity testing... it... troubled me."

"Right, they told me about it. Three Kekkai Shijo, all awakened in triplets. They'll make a wonderful team."

"They aren't the first instance of this happening though... only the second. I had to be sure and look in ancient texts but... Naruto holds a dangerous gift."

"Dangerous?"

"It was kept secret by my clan for centuries... the Six-Path Sage had a daughter, Benihime. She is the ancestor to all Uzumaki. She, herself, gave birth to triplets. Uzumaki Amaterasu held powers of the Sun and a blade of flames hot enough to burn to ash anything it so much as nicked. Uzumaki Susano'o had gifts of the Sky and a fan able to control the Winds, Lightning and Seas. Uzumaki Tsukiyomi... that one held the blessing of the Moon and a Scythe cursed by the Shinigami."

"And you think that Naruto will...?" Minato questioned.

"Tsukiyomi was a manipulator. His abilities let him cast unbreakable illusions under the moon and his weapon cut souls from its victim, heightening his power the more he killed. He was also known to have silver dust to protect his body, sand which protected him of its own accord."

Minato sighed. "Even with all that, you've given me no reason to fear Naruto."

"Tsukiyomi was evil... he commited a crime so heinous... not even the old texts can describe it. All that is told is that it was so horrifying it struck fear into the biju themselves and his punishment was to be in limbo until his heir was born. Then at that point he would be forced to watch as that heir either completed his dream or destroyed it completely."

"What was that dream?"

"To bathe the Nations in an eternal eclipse and an everlasting genjutsu that would bring conflict to an end and each person would have their own utopia. A false peace."

Minato sighed and stood from his seat. "There is no guarantee Naruto will share that dream. If it makes you feel better, I will cut all genjutsu training from his regiment except breaking them."

Kushina slowly nodded. "Alright. That would put my mind at ease a little. We still need to increase Tsunami and Arashi's training though. Tsunami must become the first jinchuriki to control the Kyubi and Arashi needs to be able to restrain her if something goes wrong."

"I agree. Their fighting styles should wait though. At least until their... Weapon materializes."

"Hai. The Kon no Buki is an intricate part of any Uzumaki's style. Thirteen weapon types fueled by our chakra and wills. My own is my red ō-katana, the Aka no Shi. Those three will get one of these thirteen... katana, naginata, fan, ō-katana, scythe, tanto, wakizashi, ninjato, knuckle knives, whip, clawed gauntlets, hook swords or javelin. Only once they materialize on their next birthday in three months will we be able to craft tai and bukijustu styles for our children."

"Then until then... I suppose it is fuinjutsu, ninjutsu and genjutsu training." Kushina looked at the blonde. "Only dispelling genjutsu, Kushi-chan. Do not worry."

She sighed. "Stupid eclipse, riling me up... I hope it ends soon."

 ** **[Senju Compound]****

"Hey there, Naruto-chan." The silver-haired boy heard Tsunade's voice and looked behind him as he made his way through his cousin clan's compound. "Bit dark out, eh?"

"Hello, Tsunade-oba-chan." He said with an incline of his head. "I was headed back to my room just now actually." The busty blonde smirked knowingly.

"Avoiding your parents? Trying to get out of training?" She was surprised when he shook his head.

"I was training myself, actually. The eclipse prevented kaa-san and tou-san from training us today, so I did some stuff on my own out at Training Ground 44." The Slug Princess looked at him skeptically. "You do not need to believe me." He said with a shrug.

"Hm... get going. If your parents don't overwork you tomorrow, come here alright? I'm having a bit of a class for Academy students afterschool for some medical ninjutsu and you might find you like it." Naruto nodded and looked around, seeing if anyone was looking.

"I will, oba-chan." He said before hugging her and then jumping atop a roof and making his way to the Uzumaki-Namikze Compound.

Tsunade smiled to herself. "That boy is talented. I just hope Kushina-chan and Minato-kun realize that before they push him too far away..." She sighed. "Well... if nothing else I'm sure he'll learn from me if for no other reason to have a sensei willing to teach him."

Naruto finally found himself back in his small family's sizable Compound. Six buildings, four training grounds and their own personal onsen in a small forest. Up above, the moon was finally moving out from in front of the sun, only halfway eclipsing the earth.

Even so, the heir didn't feel his connection to Kaguya weaken much because it was going to be a full moon tonight. Even during the day, he could feel her spirit and communicate telepathically with her.

 ** **"You should go to the medical class she is teaching."****

 ** **I had planned on it, sensei.****

 ** **"Good. With your parents seemingly unwilling to train you... anything is good to learn. It would not hurt to learn medical jutsu either. It will provide excellent chakra control exercises and a knowledge of anatomy and biology I cannot provide for you."****

 ** **Hai sensei. Tomorrow I shall attend then.****

 ** **"Very well. For now, it is imperative you make the gifts I've given you appear like aspects of your bloodline which awakened on their own. It would not do for anyone of this time with knowledge of me to guess at the origins of your abilities. That means until you 'activate' your silver dust and Spectral Flight, you can only train them in secret."****

 ** **I can't reveal you to anyone?****

 ** **"Naruto-chan, tell me something. How does this sound? 'The ghost of the Six Path Sage's mom chose me as her heir and gifted me with three perfect bloodlines in addition to the Tsukiton and told me I'll activate bloodlines of three other clans on my own.'"****

 ** **Either... insane or a perfect weapon?****

 ** **"Precisely. On one hand, ANBU will be watching your every move. On the other, you'll be the target of a thousand and one groups wanting to have more power than they know what to do with. It is better this way. Trust me, okay?"****

 ** **"Okay... kaa-san."****

Naruto was finally at the main building of the compound, the residence of the Uzumaki-Namikaze family. Instead of using the door, he began walking up the wall to the second floor. The window to his room was unlocked, just as he left it before storming out earlier that day.

He opened the window and went inside, shutting and locking the window once more. He sighed in relief as no one had noticed his return - and he doubted his parents even noticed his leaving.

Just then, he felt someone grab him and hug him from behind, burying their face in his yukata. "You're safe, onii-chan!" It was Tsunami. He sighed again and stayed as he was. "I was so worried! I thought... thought you got hurt... Arashi said you would be fine, but I couldn't stop worrying."

"I'm fine, Nami-chan." He said and turned around, hugging his youngest triplet's body. "Don't worry about me."

She pressed her face into his yukata and nodded. "Hai, onii-chan."

After a few moments... "I am also glad you returned, aniki." Arashi said as he shut a scroll he was reading and stood. Tsunami let go of Naruto and blushed a little as she had forgotten their brother was still here.

"I could tell." Naruto walked to his bed and sat, looking at his siblings. "So... you two just sat here, waiting for me to come back?"

"Well, I did some reading. Tsunami mostly was worrying and pacing. We ate in here at her insistence just in case you came back for food."

Tsunami nodded. "I made you some miso... but it got cold so I tried to um... uh..."

"Reheat it with her chakra. Apparently she's been experimenting with her Kekkai Shijo and figured out it is related to the Sun. With the eclipse though... she lost control and it burnt."

Tsunami hung her head. "Into ashes..." Naruto chuckled and shook his head.

"Experimenting, eh? So, what all can you do so far, Nami-chan?" The sole heiress of the clan grinned.

"Just three, but really cool!" She held out her hand and snapped, materializing an orb of fire in her hand. "And... watch!" As she said it, the fire began to shape itself until it became a shuriken of flames. "And the last is more of an immunity." She grabbed the fire shuriken and held a fist before opening it to reveal no fire and no burns.

"Fire Creation, Manipulation and Immunity." Arashi said. "I have no doubts Tsunami shall have a gift for Katon ninjutsu when the time comes for training our affinities. It makes sense though, given the things I found about our bloodlines in your abscence."

"You figured them out?" Naruto asked.

"Taiyoton, Tsukiton and Soraton: The elements of the Sun, Moon and Sky respectively. I didn't find anything regarding their abilities however. It was rather strange... like the scroll was incomplete. It was just a catalogue of the documented Kekkai Shijo, Kekkai Seigyo, Kekkai Tota, Kekkei Genkai and their make-ups."

"I wonder why that is..." Naruto mumbled. "Well... we could document the abilities ourselves?" Naruto suggested.

"That's a great idea! Don't you think, Arashi-kun?" The middle Namikaze seemed hesitant though, despite Tsunami's energy.

"What if someone gets ahold of the scroll and uses it against us?"

"What about we use one of the empty clan scrolls?" Naruto suggested. Tsunami gasped and Arashi looked skeptical. "Seriously. I know where they're kept. If we get one of the unused ones and use our blood as the trigger, no one - not even kaa-san or tou-san - can open them without one of our blood."

"Theoretically... you're right. But how would we get one? I'm sure they're locked behind tight security." Naruto thought a moment.

"A blood seal. But we have kaa-san's blood, and tou-san's. They're the ones allowed to open it, so we can too. It's either that or... wait until we learn Level Six Kekkai Fuinjutsu." Naruto knew that would get to Arashi. For all his maturity and intelligence...

"I can't wait that long... okay. You can really get one?" Naruto nodded.

"I can. And then we can keep documentation of our kekkai shijo's abilities and their limits. That way if any of our descendents get one of them, they're not training blind."

"How long, onii-chan?" Tsunami asked.

"Before our birthday. By the time we turn eight, we'll be able to start." Naruto told them. "Sound okay?" His siblings nodded. "Until then... we should try and figure out the extent of our natural abilities on our own."

"Agreed." Arashi and Tsunami said at the same time.

"Did you find out any of yours, Arashi?" Naruto asked.

"Well... just one. Or maybe two..." He held out his hand and it crackled with blue sparks before jumping up just above his palm and shaping into the form of an orb. "Two, yeah. Lightning Generation and Lightning Shape Manipulation." The orb then became a kunai, then a shuriken, then a double helix before wrapping around his hand and slowly dying down.

"And immunity?" Tsunami asked. Arashi shook his head.

"I don't think so. I can feel the volts in it. Maybe... resistance? I'd rather not find out in battle though."

"Oh! Onii-chan, what about you?" Tsunami asked and Naruto looked between them.

 ** **Um... kaa-san?****

 ** **"Hm... interesting predicament. I did not anticipate this possibility. Do not reveal your flight. The dust is okay though. Don't reveal its independent nature though."****

"Well... one. I'm not that good yet though." He admitted.

"Show us, onii-chan!" Tsunami begged with big, puppy dog eyes. Naruto smiled a bit and held out his hand, palm up just as they had done.

Instead of materializing something as they had, he formed a fist and before the other two's eyes, silver dust gathered in a thick cloud in front of him. "Silver manipulation." Naruto said plainly.

"How did you possibly get so much?" Arashi asked.

"You'd be surprised what is in Training Ground 44." Was Naruto's response. It wasn't a lie, not really. He just didn't tell the whole truth.

"I suppose it is the location of the Survival Examination part of the Chuunin Exams..." Arashi agreed. "There is bound to be all sorts of things there on corpses and such."

Tsunami shivered. "Corpses... gross."

"You need to become used to the dead, Tsunami." Arashi said. "Shinobi are mercenaries and assassins. You __will__ have to kill at some point."

"I know... but doesn't mean I have to look forward to it."

Naruto looked between them and dispersed his dust around the room so it was undetectable by any but him. "Well, not that this isn't extremelu entertaining, but would it be too troublesome for you two to head to your rooms? I would like some sleep after my long day of training before I have to train tomorrow with tou-san and kaa-san."

"Of course, aniki." Arashi said as he rose, trench coat in one hand and scroll in the other, before walking out. "Good night."

Tsunami wasn't as formal and tackled Naruto to the bed in a hug. "Night, onii-chan!" She kissed his cheek and got up cheerily. "Sweet dreams! See you in the morning!" She left as well and Naruto collapsed in his bed, wrapping blankets around him.

 ** **My siblings are so weird...**** He thought to himself before passing out. Kaguya had been a slave driver in his silver dust training and the young boy needed his rest.

Tomorrow would be a big day for him.


	3. Chapter 3

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter III: Power over Illusions****

Light. It broke through the window of Naruto's room and immediately he opened his pale electric blue eyes and sat up, yawning into the back of his hand. Reaching down to untie the obi of his yukata he remembered passing out in last night he was surprised when he touched not soft cloth, but flesh.

Looking down, he saw he was only in his boxers and looked around. In the back of his mind, he heard giggling. A soft voice that reminded him of happier times. ****Did you do that, kaa-san?****

 ** **"Only just noticed, Naruto-chan?"**** Kaguya asked with an audible smirk. ****"How can you hope to become a great ninja if you don't perceive things quicker?"****

 ** **But kaa-san! I'm still only 7! I'm not even a genin yet. Hell, I'm not even in the Academy!****

 ** **"Language, Naruto-chan!"**** Kaguya scolded. ****"Be more mindful. There are better ways to express yourself than vulgur cursing. As my heir, I expect better behaviour from you."****

 ** **Hai kaa-san...**** Naruto sighed. ****Gomenesai.****

Finally deciding to get up, Naruto took the covers off and saw a clean yukata laying out for him. ****You molded my chakra to make a Kage Bunshin right before I slept, huh?****

 ** **"Very perceptive. Now go take a shower and get ready for training. You still need to head to Tsunade's class as well and I want you to go to town for some supplies for the training I'll be giving you as well."****

 ** **Hai, kaa-san. Arigatou.****

 ** **"For what?"****

 ** **For...**** Naruto smiled and had to hold back tears. ****For actually taking an interest in my training and wanting me to do my best.****

Naruto could swear he almost felt something wrap him up, something warm. ****"That's what a mother does. Now go get ready, sochi-kun."****

 ** **[Uzumaki-Namikaze Compound Training Ground 3]****

Minato stood before his children, smiling an easy smile. "Your kaa-chan and I have been discussing what to do next for your training and have come to agreement it is time we got some actual ninjutsu in your arsenals. While we do know each of your natural affinities - quite a bit more than most could ever dream, might I add - elemental ninjutsu is a lesson for another time."

He pulled out a single scroll from his trench coat and twirled it between his fingers. "The Academy during peacetime requires the Henge no Jutsu, a Space-Time ninjutsu, a clone ninjutsu and one extra technique varying depending on the chosen branch of shinobi you wish to be part of. These pre-requisites to become genin ranked ninja of Konohagakure no Sato slim the amount of shinobi and kunoichi but the quality of ninja at the lowest rank increases, allowing the quality of the ninja all the way up in ANBU to be heightened as well.

"Within this scroll is a total of three techniques: the Kawarimi no Jutsu, the Shunshin no Jutsu and the Henge no Jutsu. These three ninjutsu are what I will require of you three before the next phase of training may begin."

"Tou-san, why not any type of Bunshinjutsu?" Arashi asked.

"Excellent question, Arashi. It is very simple. The Uzumaki bloodd running in all three of your veins affects your chakra control to an extent making the normal Bunshin no Jutsu more trouble than its worth to master. All other types are either elemental or kinjutsu. For that reason, your Bunshinjutsu training will take place at a later date."

"So... we just learn whichever we want in any order?" Tsunami questioned.

"I suppose if you want to do it that way. Kushina-chan has her style of teaching and I have mine. I will allow you to find the way you wish to learn. I am here as a guiding hand to aid in issues you have with training, not as your crutch to depend on each time you want to add something to your repetoire. I cannot be. Each shinobi needs their own style and only through independent work can that style be formed and mastered."

"Is it just the one scroll?" Naruto asked and Minato shook his head. He tossed the scroll to his white-haired son.

"That is a sealing scroll. Three copies of the scroll containing the jutsu are within. I remember showing you three how to unseal objects from scrolls, unless I'm mistaken?"

"No, I remember, tou-san." Naruto said and opened the scroll, seeing a sealing array on it with three kanji in darker ink and surrounded in a circle each. "Unless a chakra, blood or other barrier seal is over the storage function, you only need to pulse a small amount of chakra into it."

He pressed his index finger to one of the kanji for 'Scroll' and in a puff of smoke, another scroll appeared. Repeating it twice more, all three scrolls were out and the storage scroll was now empty. "I would expect nothing less from an Uzumaki. Fuinjutsu is in each of your blood, after all."

"We just pick them now then?" Tsunami asked and Minato nodded.

"It is up to each of you to master these. I will help if necessary." He informed them.

Immediately Naruto opened his scroll and studied the three jutsu for a small bit.

 ** **One ro change appearance, one to switch places with another object or person and one to increase your speed using chakra to such an extent that you seem to teleport. Each are useful in their own right... but which to do first?****

 ** **"The Henge no Jutsu, Naruto-chan."**** Kaguya suggested. ****"Powers of the moon are geared towards the art of illusions more often than not. Despite its label as a ninjutsu, the Henge is more of a genjutsu."****

 ** **If you're sure, kaa-san. I'll do that one then.****

He read the details more closely then. He had to say, Kaguya was right. The Henge did seem more of an illusion art after all. It cast a false appearance over someone"s normal looks that would change back to normal if hit, if it lost chakra or if the user cancelled it. Some dojutsu could see through a Henge - the Byakugan and Sharingan most especially. The only thing it lacked to be called a genjutsu is that it couldn't be dispelled. That was perhaps more due to the fact that it wasn't an alteration of perception by affecting a target's tenketsu, but altering the user's tenketsu to affect everyone's perception.

The trigger on this jutsu seemed to be the ram seal, according to the scroll. Looking up, Naruto sighed seeing the moon was not out. His guardian was nowhere in sight...

 ** **"I'm right here, Naruto-chan. Remember?"**** Hearing her voice calmed Naruto and gave him some confidence.

 ** **Gomenesai, kaa-san. I must have forgot. I'm glad you're here for me.****

With that last thought, Naruto clasped his hands together in a ram handseal and inhaled deeply. ****"Start small, sochi-kun."**** Kaguya told him. ****"Just your eyes right now."**** Following her advice, Naruto visualized his eyes changing and his chakra seemed to know how to mold itself as he uttered those three words to trigger the almost but not quite genjutsu.

 ** **"Henge no Jutsu."**** He did not shout it out as he heard some ninja did from his parents. It was such a small change that apparently no cloud of smoke appeared and he simply blinked once and his eyes changed. Minato must have felt the chakra spike and went to Naruto's location and looked at his eyes.

"The Byakugan?" He asked and Naruto smiled a little, cutting th chakra flow so his eyes returned to normal. "If a Hyuga ever saw you do that, you could get in trouble Naruto. It is a bad idea to copy another clan's traits if you don't hold their blood. And if anyone, especially Kumo, thought you had the Byakugan, you could be in danger. Don't do it again."

The snow-haired boy nodded slowly and the Yondaime Hokage stood before glancing at Arashi and seeing him switch places with a log in the training ground ten feet away. He went off over there, smiling wide and not once glancing back at Naruto.

 ** **"Don't listen to him, Naruto-chan. I'm proud of you."**** Kaguya told him ** **. "You got it on the very first try. I bet even he couldn't do that, sweetie."****

This cheered him up a little. ****Th-thank you, kaa-san. But why did my chakra do that? The moon is nowhere in sight.****

 ** **"Because of the nature of the jutsu. You are more than my heir. You are the heir of the moon and when the nature of a jutsu aligns with the abilities of either, it is second nature for you. I told you, the Henge is basically a genjutsu. Illusions fall under the domain of Tsukiyomi and thus all illusions will be easy for you."****

Naruto calmed himself and re-clasped his hands in the same seal. If what she said was true, he should be able to... "Naruto, could you come here a moment?" The oldest triplet looked up as he saw his mother there and pulled his hands apart. He walked to the redheaded woman who called him from the house.

"Hai, kaa-san?" Naruto asked as he stood before her.

"Could you come with me and help with something?" The young Uzumaki glanced back at where the others were training. "It won't take long at all."

"Okay, kaa-san." Naruto agreed, though felt uneasy for some reason as he followed Kushina. She led him out into the private forest that surrounded their clan onsen and once they were a bit inside, turned to look at him. He still felt that strange feeling...

"Naruto-chan..." Naruto's eyes widened as he pieced it together and saw the woman's hands blur and launch several shuriken at him. He shut his eyes, awaiting the pain. And waited. And waited.

Opening his eyes, he saw the shuriken caught in his silver dust. He hadn't moved it but... now he would. Naruto focused and visualized the silver dust doing something else and it dropped the shuriken before shooting forward at the redhead and surrounded her body before encasing it and leaving only her head above it.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked.

"Don't you recognize your kaa-san, Naruto-chan?" Naruto glared at the woman and the silver cocoon squeezed, eliciting a gasp from her.

"She hasn't called me Naruto-chan ever. Kaa-san looks at me with only caution and fear in her eyes, every single day. Just like all the ninja who ever fought a Kaguya." He looked down sadly. "I'm just a monster to them... an accident waiting to happen... a dormant psychopath..."

 ** **"Naruto-chan, you are none of those things. And that woman, she is wrapped in an illusion.'****

He rose his eyes to look at the woman posing as his mother. "Someone sent you to assassinate me?" The woman grinned fanatically as her image shimmered and revealed her to be an Uchiha kunoichi, Sharingan active.

"Look into my eyes, little Namikaze."

 ** **"She wants to cast an illusion over you, Naruto-chan. Allow it to happen."****

 ** **Why, kaa-san?****

 ** **"Do you trust me?"****

Naruto let his gaze match the Uchiha's and heard her utter a phrase. "Sharingan Genjutsu: Oni no Mai!" Immediately he felt his perception shift and saw the ground erupt in flames around him as large, ogre-like beasts surrounded him. Their malformed bodies looked like human mixed with goat, ox, pig, bull, bird and other animals. Each were drooling and eyes locked on him as the Uchiha smirked.

 ** **"Now take control!"**** Kaguya told him.

"Let me go, gaki. Or your worst nightmares will be nothing compared to the torture I give you." Naruto just glared at her and she shrugged. "Your funeral."

The beasts grinned and began walking toward him slowly. He couldn't move within the illusion, not physically anyways. While Kaguya's instructions had been vague to say the least, he did what felt natural.

During a lesson given by one of their tutors a few weeks ago, a Chuunin named Kurenai, Naruto and his siblings learned what genjutsu were. To incite and keep up an illusion the user had to first alter their target's senses by altering their chakra flow. Dojutsu-based illusions were triggered through eye contact but even once eye contact was broken, it was prolonged since their chakra had already 'infected' the target's system and had control until the genjutsu was dispelled.

Naruto didn't want to dispel this illusion though. Instead, he did something drastically different. By pure instinct, his chakra latched onto something... almost like a hook. It traveled along this 'hook' and he knew somehow that it led straight to the Uchiha.

This was the connection between their chakra systems.

As his own chakra traveled along the connection, Naruto used his more plentiful chakra to overpower the Uchiha's and take control of the illusion. As soon as he did, he had the oni turn their attention to the Uchiha and they salivated even more. Not because of potential food, but for an entirely different reason.

'Wh-what?! No! Don't!" She screamed within the illusion as they converged on her. Naruto saw them ripping clothes off and felt her fear. It was... satisfying. This feeling of having control over someone else... it felt amazing compared to the empty feeling he usually felt when he was ignored.

He dispelled the illusion without even paying attention to what the oni were doing to the girl and walked closer to her, his eyes looking into hers as she shivered and shrunk away in shock. "Who sent you to kill me?" The words just escaped.. Naruto didn't say them but his mouth uttered them of its own accord.

"F-fugaku-sama..." She stuttered out.

"Why?" When she didn't answer Naruto felt his arm raise and his hand slowly tighten, squeezing her body.

"H-he f-fought a Kaguya in the last War and is afraid." She gasped out. "What are you going to do with me?" Naruto felt his lips curl at the corners into a smirk.

"You will be spared... in exchange for your loyalty. Kurodou: Yami Sesshu!"

A halo of white and black energy surrounded the Uchiha before the black consumed the white completely and the Uchiha looked at him blankly. "Who are you?" Naruto's voice stated even though he didn't say it.

"I am Uchiha Kuromizu and your faithful servant, Outsutsuki Tsukiyomi-sama." And that's when everything went black...


	4. Chapter 4

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter IV: Tsukiyomi****

Naruto awakened and sat up with a groan, putting a hand on his head. "Where am I?" He wondered aloud as he looked around. It looked to be night out.

He stood and leaned against one of the trees in the woods as he regained his bearings. The Uchiha was nowhere in sight for some reason... and he could barely feel his silver dust. It was so far away.

 ** **Kaa-san?**** He thought. When there was no answer, Naruto shut his eyes. ****Kaa-san? Are you there? What's going on?****

Just as he was about to panic, he felt something against his leg. Looking down, Naruto saw a ball of white fur he soon realized was a small rabbit. It looked up at him before hopping a few feet away and then looking back at him.

"You... want me to follow you?" Naruto asked. "Okay." He walked forward and the rabbit began hopping away, but never too fast for Naruto to keep in sight even walking at a sedate pace. He did have this... strange feeling though.

It was almost like the feeling he had with Kuromizu, but this one was much different in other ways. Like... Deja vu or something. He knew this place...

That was when he realized they'd been going for far too long for this to be the forest around the onsen. From one side to another only took five minutes walking... he had been following this bunny longer.

It did seem like the rabbit was leading him closer to his silver, if his senses were anything to go by.

After some time, the trees disappeared in favor of sky. A night time sky with millions of glowing stars and a large, blood-red moon over everything. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Naruto turned to where the voice was and saw a smiling man. He was just a bit taller than Minato with long, straight snow-white hair that went past his waist., shining silver eyes and pale skin. He wore a black robe with the hood down and was leaning against a strange scythe. The handle looked to be made of sun-bleached bone while the blade itself was four feet long and made of pure silver - his senses told him the last.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked cautiously. The man chuckled.

"Isn't it good etiquette to introduce yourself first?" Naruto looked at the man, pale, elecetric blue eyes meeting silver.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

"Nice to meet you Naruto. I'm Otsutsuki Tsukiyomi." Tsukiyomi held out his hand and the younger boy tentatively shook it. "Oh, I won't hurt you, Naruto-kun."

"Why should I believe you?" He asked. Tsukiyomi looked at the boy with twinkling eyes.

"Why would I hurt myself like some self-mutilating masochist?" Naruto looked at him confused. "Didn't baa-chan tell you about me?" He asked.

"Who's your baa-chan?" Naruto asked curiously even as he felt something warm wrap him up. Looking up, he saw Kaguya's face as she hugged him protectively. "K-kaa-san? How are you out? It's not a full moon!"

"He still thinks we're outside?" Tsukiyomi chuckled. "No, she is always here even when one of your Kage Bunshin."

"How?"

"Sweetie, sochi-kun... this is why I wanted her to put you under genjutsu. I wanted you to come here so we could have some time together, all three of us. It was the only way Tsukiyomi-kun could force you into the soulscape."

"Soul... scape?"

"Hai, Naruto-kun." Tsukiyomi nodded. "Soulscape. It is an area within your soul that is outside of space-time and only accessible by you and those who share your soul. No Yamanaka technique can look inside here. Kaguya is only able to be here because of you being her heir. I am here for a radically different reason."

"A... different reason?" Naruto looked up at Kaguya and then at Tsukiyomi and thought over what he said. "Could it be... you share my soul?" Tsukiyomi smirked.

"Intelligent as any blessed by the moon. Can you figure out what our relationship is then?" Naruto thought a moment.

"Outsutsuki... you're related to kaa-san. That means you're really old." Tsukiyomi's eyebrow twitched at that statement. Kaguya merely grinned and held Naruto tighter. "If we share a soul... could I be your... um... what's the word...?"

"Reincarnation, sweetie." Kaguya whispered in his ear.

"Yeah, reincarnation."

"Correct!" Tsukiyomi nodded. "But baa-chan added a bit more to your repetoire than we had when I was living."

"Really?" Naruto asked. "What did you have?"

"Just the Tsukiton and my Shinigami no Kinkama here." He said and patted his scythe with a smile. "Well... and my... puppets."

"Puppets?" Naruto asked. "What do you mean?"

"My powers give me extreme control of illusions, so I had to develop a style involving feints and traps. Because of this, I worked alongside an artist named Kurama, a smith named Masamune and one of my grandfather's pet demons, the one known as the Kyuubi."

"The Kyuubi? Tsunami holds the fox now." Naruto stated.

"Hai. She was but a kit when I knew her. Even so, she was extremely intelligent and showed me a technique some demons use in a style of combat known as kugutsu."

"Puppetry Arts... I feel like I've heard that before."

"Unsurprising." Tsukiyomi said. "I taught it to my children, the predecessors to the Akasuna and Sabaku clans. I keep tabs on my descendants since I'm stuck in limbo. Those two along with a few other clans formed Sunagakure no Sato and thus puppetry is an integral part of their culture."

"What exactly is it?"

"Well, by making strings of chakra, you can attach them to different parts of a woooden, metal, stone, etc. doll and move your hands certain ways to make them battle another in your place. While you do this, you can stay hidden elsewhere and use the puppet to lead your opponent into a trap or even just use your puppet as a weapon itself while you stay safely hidden from their view."

"Did you ever make a... living puppet?"

"Perceptive. I developed six illusions based on the moon's phases for turning, manipulating and using humans as puppets I didn't have to control."

"Is that what you did to Kuromizu?" Naruto asked. "You used some jutsu and she just... became empty."

"That is the first one. Black Art: Darkness Assimilation... Kurodou: Yami Sesshou, it puts my will against another's and if mine is stronger, theirs is crushed. The puppet has to follow any and all orders I give without question. They have no sense of self-preservation, no dignity, no honor, no care except to do what I order. No emotion. They become a Doll."

"Isn't it reversible?"

"Only Amaterasu could ever turn my puppets back. He had this Psychic Shield ability that blocked any and all illusions anyone casted. Our abilities generally blocked each other out..."

"So... she's stuck like that forever? Is she conscious of what's going on?"

"Oh, she is. Her inner self can't emerge though. No one is strong enough to resurface or help another resurface. Many tried, but the genjutsu crushes their will. No one could want something bad enough to break my Yami Sesshou."

"Tsukiyomi-kun, stay on track." Kaguya said a bit too sweetly. The white-haired man swallowed and nodded.

"Hai, hai. There is a reason why I wanted you here. I didn't think you'd be able to come this soon though. When Kuromizu cast that genjutsu, I was able to take control though. I needed to meet you so I could offer you a deal." Naruto looked at him suspiciously. "I want to teach you to control your powers, your Tsukiton."

"In exchange for what?" Naruto asked.

"The first few will be free, because you're me. After those, you will have to perform a few missions for me, any of which you can decline in exchange for another. Or if you can find any of my possessions from when I was alive, I will teach you to use them freely, without charge. Except my scythe. The price on that is not mine, but the Shinigami's price."

Naruto looked up at Kaguya. "It is your choice, Naruto-chan. I can teach you to utilize your bloodlines and to use my abilities, but Tsukiyomi-kun is the only one who can teach you about the Tsukiton, how to master it. He has skills he could pass to you which no one living could possibly offer. Kugutsu masters can't compare to him. The Uchiha and Kurama hold nothing to his control of illusions. Those of the Maboroshi which gained parts of the Tsukiton through their Yureigan are newborns compared to him. Time has watered down the blood he holds. The missions here and there he gives you would be worth the knowledge he gives you. Remember this proverb Hagoromo's eldest had as his philosophy: Knowledge is power and those with power control others. 'Only with power can one hope to protect what is precious to them and only those with more knowledge can hope to achieve levels of power exceeding their rivals, opponents and targets.'"

"Okay kaa-san... if you trust him, so will I. But I get to choose what you teach me. If I have nothing in mind when one lesson ends, you can choose, Tsukiyomi-sensei. Is that acceptable for you?" The man smirked.

"Sure." He held out his hand and Narutolooked at it. As Kaguya let go, Naruto walked forward a step and slowly clasped his hand over it and shook his hand. As he did so, silver light wrapped around their hands and Tsukiyomi grinned as he pulled his hand back.

"The Contract is set, Naruto-kun. By the Moon and by our Soulbond it is written, under the terms of our agreement we now are bound by the bonds of sensei and totei, as teacher I will impart my knowledge to you the best of my ability. As apprentice, you must follow my instructions. As shisou, I will give you missions and as totei you must complete the ones you accept to the best of your ability. These are the terms of our Contract. These are the terms of our relationship. Under the Blood Moon of your Soulscape, I have told you everything with no falsehoods, no lies and no hidden facts or meanings. Do you understand all of this as I have tolds you?"

Naruto matched his blue orbs to Tsukiyomi's silver ones. "Under this Blood Moon inside my Soulscape, I understand all of it, Tsukiyomi-sensei. I will fulfill my end to the best of my ability."

"Then I name you Heir of the Moon, the successor to all my knowledge and the newest incarnation and avatar of Tsukiyomi, God of the Moon. Outsutsuki Naruto, I hereby name you, as my student, as my apprentice, as my reincarnation and as my heir."

"Hai, Tsukiyomi-sensei." Naruto replied.

"Our first lesson begins tonight. When you sleep, I will draw you here since you've agreed to our Contract. For now, do as you were going to today in the outside world and I will see you tonight."

"How do I leave?" Naruto asked. Kaguya was the one to answer.

"Pull your chakra into your stomach and hold it there. When the pressure begins to be noticable, release it outward as a pulse and you should leave and wake up. Only seconds have passed on the outside world, so Kuromizu is still there. She will follow your orders, so do as you will with her."

Naruto nodded and began drawing chakra to his core. He looked at Kaguya and she smiled. "I'll see you tonight, sochi-kun. I may be silent for the rest of the day until you head to the market district because I'll be making lesson plans." She then knelt down and hugged him tightly. "Make me proud, my little Naruto-chan." She whispered in his ear.

Naruto hugged her tightly back, holding onto her form within the Soulscape as closely as he could. "I will, kaa-chan. I swear." He said in a voice only they could hear. The pressure was beginning tto build in his stomach, but he didn't release it yet. As they were in their tight embrace, Naruto's eyes began to release tears of joy.

"Don't cry, sochi-kun. Just tell kaa-chan what's wrong." She whispered quietly and kissed his forehead. The boy grinned even as more tears fell.

"I love you kaa-chan. There's nothing wrong. I'm just so happy you care about me and don't give me... that same look." Kaguya smiled softly at him and cupped his face between her hands.

"I love you too, Naruto-chan. I always will, no matter what." She wrapped him up in her arms once more as his tears soaked her robes. She simply held on tightly even as she felt the chakra pulse.

"Never leave me, kaa-chan." He pleaded in that same tone, that happy yet pleading tone.

As his form and consciousness faded from the Soulscape, he saw Kaguya's eyes tear up as those salty trails went down her cheeks. "I swear I never will, sochi-kun. Never." And with that, everything went black once more to him as Kaguya's body slipped through his form and she fell to her hands and knees, tears still falling.

"I will never leave you, never let anyone hurt you, never let you lose life. No matter the price, we will be together forever and that... woman will pay for making you feel this way. Anyone who hurts you will pay... I will personally make sure of it."


	5. Chapter 5

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter V: The True Reason****

Naruto opened his eyes and looked around, noticing he was still standing in the onsen forest. Before him, above the ground, Kuromizu was still locked in the silver cocoon, blankly looking at him. Remembering Kaguya's advice, he locked his pale eyes on her and made up his mind.

"Kuromizu."

"Hai, Tsukiyomi-sama?" She stated in an emotionless voice. Her Sharingan had reverted back to cold, onyx orbs and her obsidian hair looked to be in a high ponytail. Besides her pale face, the rest of her body was beneath the silver construct.

"Not Tsukiyomi, it's Naruto."

"Hai, Naruto-sama." She droned. "What would you desire?" The white haired boy looked at her and thought of what to say.

"Tell me your ranking in Konoha."

"Uchiha Kuromizu, 16 years of age and Tokubetsu Jounin of the Assassination and Infiltration branch awaiting the Jounin Examination for promotion."

"Hai." He began thinking of different things he should or could ask or order. It wasn't every day a Tokubetsu Jounin of the Uchiha clan basically became your slave. "What would happen if Fugaku found out you failed?"

"I would likely receive a minor punishment since this is my first failed mission. I probably would get a beating or lashing, or maybe lose pay or meals for some time." Naruto closed his eyes and focused.

"Who else knows about the mission?"

"Only Fugaku and Mikoto." Naruto noted the lack of -sama on those names. Tsukiyomi did say that the Dolls had no sense of honor or dignity, that probably meant they lost respect for all but him as well.

"Mikoto-oba-chan?" Naruto asked in curiosity. "She went along with it?" Kuromizu shook her head.

"Mikoto seemed against the mission." She admitted. Naruto nodded and sat in a lotus position, shutting his eyes in thought as he placed hands palm down on his knees.

"If only one person knew about it, it would be simple to take care of. With two, but one seemingly against it, it is nearly the same thing. The problem is that I don't know any genjutsu..."

"Naruto-sama, I happen to know 63 genjutsu ranging from D-rank up to A-rank." Naruto looked at her.

"Any for memory alteration?" When she shook her head, the boy sighed. "It seems I have only one choice then... otherwise more Uchiha may be sent after me." He nodded, mostly to himself. "Stall Fugaku. Tell him there was no opening to take me out and that you will need a little more time. Refer to everyone as you would normally, including Fugaku, Mikoto and my tou-san as -sama."

"Hai, Naruto-sama."

"You will act as you normally would until I order you otherwise from here on out. You will forget everything I've said today until I trigger your memory with the code phrase: I am Otsutsuki Naruto, heir of the moon and the Goddess." He paused. "Starting as soon as I release you and leave this forest, you will do as I ordered."

"Hai, Naruto-sama." She acknowledged and that's all he needed to hear before he turned and walked away, silver dust beginning to drop from the cocoon and follow him as individual specks invisible to an unenhanced eye.

As he reached the edge of the forest, he stopped, looking at the step before him where the forest no longer existed.

 ** **What... did I just do? Where did that come from?****

The words... he didn't know where they came from. Those orders... they came from nowhere. It wasn't like before, when Tsukiyomi had been in control this felt... different. It felt... familiar. That same deja vu as when he took control of Kuromizu's genjutsu.

He shook his head and the thoughts scattered. It was no use trying to figure it out now, not when he had places to be. But that brought up a point... where should he be?

He could head back to the Training Ground and try to get the Kawarimi and Shunshin down... or head to the Senju Compound and see his baa-chan. That scroll his tou-san gave him was in his robe... tou-san also seemed busy praising Arashi. ****They probably won't even notice I've gone... and I can just teach myself those later. Right now I think I'll go see Tsunade-baa-chan.****

That was the only incentive he needed and he turned back around, walking the opposite way he had been heading. A single jump and he was in the treetops where he began travelling towards the Senju Compound.

As he took the final leap from the last branch, he channeled chakra to his left eye in hopes he could access his second gift from kaa-chan. "Yuureigan!" He said and his left eye became a bright electric blue, that same color creating a thin aura around him, a bluish, plasma-like halo around his body.

He felt weightless as it did and looked around, grinning. He was gliding at a sedate pace midair at the same height the apex of the jump had put him. Seeing the Senju Compound, he angled himself that way, feeling his speed increase as he traveled downward.

Only at this point did something dawn on him. As the ground sped toward him, he realized that no one was there to tell him how to... land.

"Please don't kill me..." He begged the floor and shut his eyes, waiting for a painful crash landing. Without realizing it, his Yuureigan stopped working and the blue shell disappeared.

As he hit the grassy ground, he began rolling like a log until friction kicked in and he eventually stopped. Somehow, he found himself on his back, looking up at the sky.

"At least I'm still alive..." He mumbled as he slowly sat up. Looking at his yukata, he was extremely glad that his parents had all of their clothes inscribed with reparation and cleaning seals. It also helped that the Uzumaki healing factor was already kicking in to heal his injuries.

He stood, dusting off his clothes as he looked around. He seemed to be on one of the Senju's 20 Training Grounds they had in their Compound.

"Well... if I remember right, this one is just south of the main complex. Baa-chan should be there, getting ready, I believe." Nodding to himself, Naruto began walking.

 ** **There should still be quite a few hours before the Academy lets out, if I remember right. Baa-chan said she taught those students so... she has to wait for the classes to let out before starting. That means she will hopefully have a little extra time for me...****

Naruto shook his head and suddenly heard a voice. Stopping, he looked up and saw a familiar face. "Shizu-neechan, I didn't expect to see you here." Kaito Shizune looked truly suprised to see him, but she didn't have that fearful look in her eyes other shinobi did.

"What a pleasant suprise, Naruto-kun. What are you doing here today?" The ravenette asked curiously as she now stood next to him, Tonton in her arms.

"Baa-chan invited me to her medical ninjutsu lessons she gives the Academy students after classes." Shizune widened her eyes at him.

"Sh-she did?" The white haired boy nodded, but was confused at her reaction.

"Why is that so suprising, Shizu-neechan?" He asked as she regained her bearings. She put Tonton on the ground and looked him right in the eyes.

"The lessons aren't lessons at all, Naruto-kun. Tsunade-sama requested files from Hokage-sama on every student currently enrolled in the Academy as well as every current newly graduated genin in Konohagakure's forces. She handpicked only a few with the greatest potential."

"Potential for what?" Naruto had to inquire.

"Firstly, to be good medic nin. Hokage-sama recently approved of a proposal Tsunade-sama has been pushing for years."

"The Healer Clause?" Naruto asked.

"Hai. In the next five years, every squad will contain at least one ninja trained as to an acceptable level in the medical arts. She wants to begin training the ones most likely to be great medics now, before a mass of shinobi and kunoichi try to become an 'acceptable' level."

"That makes sense, I suppose." Naruto agreed. "So, why so suprised she chose me? Because I'm so young? Or because of my Uzumaki blood?"

Shizune shook her head. "Not quite. Your age isn't a factor at all. Take Itachi-san and Kakashi-san for example. They made ANBU Captain at such young ages. And your Uzumaki blood actually makes you even more of a potential medic once you gain control of your chakra. I was suprised for a different reason."

"A... different reason?" Naruto asked, trying to figure out what that reason could be. The ravenette nodded once. "I don't understand, Shizu-nee." She smiled and ruffled his spikes.

"You have such a cute thinking expression when you focus. Anyways, there are a lot of talented people this generation for Tsunade-sama's purposes. She said she would narrow down those she chose to a mere three within two years and then to one within a year after. Tsunade-sama isn't looking for students, a class setting isn't her type of thing."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah... she's not that type of sensei... so what is she looking for then?" He asked as his pale eyes met her brown ones.

"An... apprentice."


	6. Chapter 6

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter VI: A Secret for a Secret****

"You're here awfully early, Naruto-chan. I wasn't expecting anyone for at least a few more hours." Tsunade said as Naruto and Shizune had found her in one of the onsen. More like Shizune found her and she wrapped herself in a towel so Naruto could talk to her.

Naruto himself was outside of the onsen on the other side of a screen to keep from her wrath as he had seen Jiraiya invoke so often before. He could hear her getting dressed though. "Training with tou-san ended early for me." He said simply.

On the other side, Tsunade sighed. Those two...

"Well, I did tell you to come when your training for the day ended, so sure, I'llstart your lesson a bit early. Given your affinities, it should be very easy for you anyways."

"How so, baa-chan?" Naruto asked curiously as the busty blonde stepped from behind the screen in her normal attire and smiling to him.

"Well... quite simple really." She said as the duo walked, Shizune leaving - probably sent on an errand by Tsunade. "Chakra is divided into two energies."

"Physical and mental right? In equal proportions they mix to become a new energy, chakra."

"Exactly. Chakra is used in ninjutsu with the main types being normal ninjutsu and elemental ninjutsu. The former utilizes chakra in its pure form while the latter further adds a third energy in the form of one of the five basic elemental natures of Katon, Fuuton, Raiton, Doton or Suiton."

"I thought there were seven though?" Naruto pointed out as he remembered the Uzumaki Affinity Testing Chamber.

"Hai, Yin and Yang are the other two. Every person has chakra and thereby has Yin and Yang energies, however an affinity to one or even both of these comes from a high alignment to them and with very few exception one aligned to either comes from a clan."

"And mine are Katon, Raiton, Doton, Suiton and Yin... the Tsukiton."

"Moon Style?" She asked. "Well, I didn't know that. Your Yin affinity will be highly beneficial in any training involving genjutsu, medical ninjutsu, kugutsu and other fields requiring high chakra control. Yang, on the other hand, would aid in highly chakra intensive fields such as taijutsu, bukijutsu and things of a physical nature."

"I suppose that makes sense, baa-chan." He replied. "So since I have a higher Yin concentration than other ninja...?"

"It gives you a naturally high chakra control, despite your Uzumaki Blood giving you extremely high chakra reserves."

"Baa-chan... Shizu-nee told me about the real reason you're teaching medical ninjutsu... are you really looking for an apprentice?" He asked. The blonde sighed and ruffled his spiky hair.

"Hai, I am. As much as I love Shizune's help... she has peaked and plateaued. Someone of this new generation may be the one to carry my legacy and maybe even surpass me. That is my hope. With Minato-kun being the one to finally approve a branch of medic nin into the forces, they will need someone at the head."

"Won't that be you, baa-chan?"

She smiled. "For a time, yes. What happens when I retire, Naruto-chan? Or should I move to the next life?"

"Well... you would need a successor."

"And who is as skilled in medic ninjutsu as me?" Tsunade inquired. When Naruto had no reply, she nodded. "Precisely. There is much potential, but no one trained to take the mantle from me.. Yet."

"I understand now, baa-chan. And you think it could really be me?" Tsunade smiled as they reached a tall, wooden building in the Compound with the Senju clan symbol above the door.

"Even if it isn't... even if you aren't... you deserve a sensei."

"I have..." Tsunade cut him off prematurely.

"Naruto-chan, I already am well aware of your treatment at home. I am aware of your treatment in the village. I want to warn you that you may not be my apprentice but that doesn't mean I have to abandon your training. Do you know what this building is?" When he shook his head she smirked. "The Senju clan library, one of the largest in the Elemental Nations."

"Um... I don't want to be rude, but..."

"Why am I showing this to you? Why of all buildings would I show you my clan's library?" He nodded. "I'm giving you full access to everything inside. Any scroll inside is yours to read, copy and learn from." Naruto's eyes widened considerably at this statement.

"N-nani?" She giggled.

"I'm not finished. I was named your godmother, Naruto-chan. I take that role and responsibility seriously. I don't want you improperly prepared for the shinobi life, so I welcome you here anytime you want." Naruto had eyes side as dinner plates as she smiled at him. "You're a special boy, Naruto-chan. You may hold the looks and maybe even the blood of the Kaguya clan, but I don't see their bloodlust in you. You're no demon, no psychopath, no monster. And I'm no baka."

Suddenly, Tsunade found herself on the floor from the sheer strength Naruto had tackled her with and in an embrace tighter than anything she'd ever felt. Suprise ebbed in favor of a warm smile as she lightly stroked his snowy hair. It was so... warm. This feeling was unlike any other she'd had.

She felt his warm tears slowly soak into her clothes but it didn't faze her even slightly. Why... why would Kushina give this feeling up? Why would anyone...? She... she didn't understand it...

It was so unfair!

"B-baa-chan... why are you crying?" Naruto asked as he looked up at her. Tsunade looked at him and wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry... I didn't realize I was. It's nothing, really." She tried to smile but failed.

"Baa-chan... please?" Naruto asked as he sat up in front of her. She stayed silent. "What if I tell you something that makes me sad?" She looked at him quizzically. "A secret for a secret."

She shook her head at the naive offer but nodded with a small, sad smile. "Sure."

"Tou-san will never love me. No matter what I do, he will always hold more favor for Arashi and Nami-chan and always look at me with only disdain, disgust and... a mixture of hatred and fear." Tsunade widened her eyes as he spoke. The pure sadness in his tone... he really believed it.

"I'm not an idiot, baa-chan. I see how he wants to hide it... even kaa-san can't see through it, but I can." Naruto looked at the ground. "I... lied to my siblings about my Tsukiton, baa-chan. We told each other aspects of our Kekkai Shijou we had figured out but this one..."

"Naruto-chan, tell me." Tsunade said softly in a voice reminding him of his kaa-chan.

"Sometimes I... see things." He started. "It can happen in dreams or even during the day but... I see things I shouldn't. Know things I shouldn't. Tou-san... he lost a platoon in the Third War to a Kaguya... he nearly died in the illusions of a Maboroshi... he's going to die by my hands, hating me every moment and never having any true affection for me."

Tsunade looked at the boy and clutched her hand to her heart. "What you just described... Naruto-chan... how often does this... do these... visions happen?"

"At least once a month since I turned 5, sometimes more but always one on the night of a New Moon for sure." Tsunade grabbed the boy and wrapped him up tightly.

"I'm sorry you have such a burden... clairvoyancy... temporal cognition... who have you told about this?" Naruto shook his head.

"Only you, baa-chan." He said as she stroked his hair.

"You've seen people die... how many?"

"One hundred and twenty seven, not counting times I've seen the same person die in a different vision..." He mumbled. "But I've gotten used to it." He was so calm, it scared Tsunade a little. "I'm sorry... but you'll die in childbirth..." He said with more sadness than Tsunade ever heard from anyone else.

Tsunade smiled and rubbed his back soothingly. "That's quite impossible, Naruto-chan." She said with a sad chuckle. "My secret... the reason I cried and why I can't stand what they're doing to you... why I love you and Shizune so much... why hate perverts and child abusers and any form of promiscuity from those unwilling to keep their child... that reason prevents your prediction from happening."

Naruto pulled his head back and looked up at her as she stood, helping him up as she gave a proud but ultimately depressed smile his way. "What is your secret, baa-chan?" He asked.

She grabbed his hand and led the way into the library. "Naruto-chan... I am the embodiment of every woman's worst nightmare, diseased by not an illness or handicap in the normal form of the word but still a weakness that wracks my body every day and night in the cold grip of inadequacy whenever I'm alone. Only alcohol seems to drown out my depression, even fleetingly as it does, no matter how much I despise having to drink heavily to forget about my problem.

"I am infertile, Naruto-chan, unable to bear children of my own despite all my medical prowess... despite all my skill and knowledge regarding human anatomy and physiology... despite decades of study into a cure for myself and others suffering similar fates... I have failed. I don't care about Kushina or Minato's reasoning for what they do... I will not stand idly by as you are abandoned and neglected. I am your godmother and your baa-chan; if your own parents won't take care of you, I will. That's a promise on my life and on my nindou, Naruto-chan, upon my very name and honor as hime of the Senjuu clan."


	7. Chapter 7

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter VII: In Preparation for Kaa-san's Training****

 ** **"To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent."****

 ** **-Buddha****

Walking away from the Senjuu Compound, Naruto was actually content. The first lesson was very easy for him. Baa-chan was having them test their current chakra control and the top three were Yakushi Kabuto, then him and third was Haruno Sakura.

The class was also even smaller than he first thought. It was only nine, including himself, six of which were clan heirs or heiresses and most of the class was his age, save Kabuto, Inuzuka Hana and Hebi Shinkou.

The rivals he had for an apprenticeship with Tsunade... they were pretty diverse, so he was a bit intimidated.

From the prestigious Hyuuga clan, there was Hinata, the heiress to said clan. She seemed to be extremely shy, but also caring. Once she came out of her shell, she would make an excellent medic with the Hyuuga's penetrative vision of the Byakugan and extremely refined chakra control for the Juuken.

From another of the four noble houses of Konoha was Yamanaka Ino, a bubbly blonde who had both a love of flowers and some knowledge of herbs. Her clan's mental abilities would no doubt grant her a talent in mental and psychological healing and chakraless restoration.

The third born the same year as him was Haruno Sakura. She wasn't really from a clan and seemed shy as well - especially about her forehead - but she was extremely intelligent and had chakra control trumping even Hinata. That combination made the pinkette a worthy adversary in this field.

Just one year older than them was an orphan girl named Tenten who had a liking for ninja tools. What she lacked in natural skill she more than made up for in focus and passion. Over time, that could even exceed natural ability. Naruto remembered hearing stories of Gama no Jiraiya from Tsunade and that he had been an orphan and was now one of the greatest shinobi of Konoha, perhaps only trumped by his parents, old man Sarutobi and Tsunade.

Lastly from his age group was a girl from the Kurama clan named Yakumo. He hadn't heard much about their clan but he remembered it had something to do with illusions. The specifics escaped him. If that was the case, her chakra control would be extremely fine-tuned once she mastered her clan techniques.

The three older ones were Yakushi Kabuto, Inuzuka Hana and Hebi Shinkou. Hana was the oldest and already a rookie genin as well as had some experience in the medic arts since she helped in her clan's veterinary clinic. That would give her several points in her favor. Kabuto and Hebi were in their final year at the Academy, though in different classes. Kabuto also had some self-taught medic skills while Shinkou had extensive knowledge of poisons and their antidotes thanks to his clan, the very same that Tsunade's wayward teammate was from.

While he was happy the lesson itself - an exercise involving keeping leaves stuck to their body using only chakra - was simple for him, something made him ecstatic.

None of the other kids were scared of him!

Well... that wasn't necessarily true. They were a bit nervous, but that was due to his heritage in a way he wasn't used to. Generally his looks made people terrified for fear he would tear a bone from himself and begin a slaughterfest. In the medic class though, they were nervous because he was the son of the Yondaime Hokage.

They didn't fear him being a monster!

Despite himself, Naruto wore a happy smile as he walked out those gates from the Compound his baa-chan owned.

That smile slipped easily. His grin lost its placement as soon as he stepped into one of Konoha's concentrations of both shinobi and civilians, the Market District. As soon as the first person saw him, fear filled those eyes, terror at what he __might__ do.

Pale blue eyes saw that create a chain reaction among literally everyone. Others caught sight of him and their eyes filled with their own panic at his potential. The Kaguya Clan's insanity and abilities were famed - or perhaps infamous - enough that even civilians knew of it.

After Naruto's birth though, things were blown out of proportion. Even he knew this.

After studying into the clan whose looks he held, Naruto learned many things about them. Even with just basic knowledge he knew that the stories some citizens told - those being ones who never faced a Kaguya or witnessed a battle with a Kaguya, not many could boast that though - were so farfetched only fear allowed them to continue in people's minds and persevere on people's lips.

Calming himself, Naruto did as he had learned to do what seemed ages ago when he first noticed those looks of terror. He attempted to ignore them in favor of his own thoughts. It was a hard thing to achieve - especially when he felt those looks aimed from every possible angle around him - but he had plenty of practice.

Spotting a certain shop, Naruto made his way for it.

It was two-storied and a chocolately brown color of wood, a roof shingled with clay tiles, large windows to display the wares, an open door and on the front was a sign reading 'Higurashi Weapons and Shinobi Supplies'.

Walking inside, the withe-haired boy glanced around to find what he needed. The shop seemed to be organized rather well and he easily found a few things he wanted. He just needed to find the clerk so he could pay beforehand and then seal all of what he wanted in a scroll.

Passing shelves and glass display cases, the boy approached the front desk. The wall behind had some well-forged weapons but they also had pricetags to go along with that. None of them really interested him though so he simply rung the bell on the desk, noting the way the __ding__ reverberated around the shop.

After a moment, a familiar face popped over the counter, energetic smile in place. "Welcome to Higurashi Weapons and Shinobi Supplies!" She then only noticed Naruto and her smile grew. "Hey there, Naruto-kun!"

Naruto wore a small smile. "Hello, Tenten."

"Thanks for the help with the leaf exercise, by the way." The bun-haired kunoichi-in-training said happily. "I really appreciated it. Higurashi-oji-san is out right now, but I can help. It's my job as his apprentice, you know." She continued, matter of factly.

"I just need to get some supplies for a bit of training." Naruto replied. Going over his mental checklist, he told her. "One hundred training shuriken, one hundred training kunai, five rolls of ninja wire, forty explosive tags, one set of gravity braces, a dozen chakra restoration pills and two hundred senbon." Tenten nodded as he talked, writing it all down.

"So you're working on shurikenjutsu?" She idly asked him, to which he nodded. "Well, how about I help you? You helped me in Tsunade-sama's class and I'm the best at shurikenjutsu in the whole Academy. Even as just a third year, I beat fifth and sixth years in accuracy."

Naruto smiled. "Arigatou, Tenten." The Academy actually started at six years old, but clan ninja or orphans and civilian-born children who somehow gained an apprenticeship to shinobi or kunoichi of Tokubetsu Jounin or higher rank didn't have to attend until they turned nine. Those ones took an entrance exam to place them in the correct class or even graduated at that time.

"No problem. Now, why don't I get those supplies?" She disappeared under the desk again and came back with a few scrolls. "The same order you made isn't that rare, so Higurashi-oji-san has some pre-prepared scrolls ready. This one has the wire, tags, shuriken and kunai." She pointed to the one on the furthest left with black tips. "This one has the senbon. This one has the gravity braces. This last one has the pills." Naruto nodded. "That'll be sixty ryou, Naruto-kun."

"That seems awfully cheap for all this." Naruto commented.

"Well, training kunai and shuriken aren't very usable in battle, so they're pretty low. Most shinobi dpn't use senbon either. Plus, Higurashi-oji-san has his own forge and makes the ninja tools himself so there's no middle man."

"That makes sense, I suppose." Naruto noted as he reached into his robe for his wallet. He was young, yes, but Naruto was also official heir to two clans of Konoha so he wasn't poor in any sense of the word. Tsunade also generally was pretty generous with her presents to him on his birthdays.

Honestly, Naruto didn't generally spend his money that often. Coupled with the fact that Minato gave his children an allowance each month, it added up after a while.

Handing Tenten the money, he placed the scrolls and wallet back in his robe. "I'll be training in the forest of Training Ground 44, Tenten." He told her. "When should we train together?" The brunette pirsed her lips in thought.

"Well, tomorrow is Saturday and I get the weekends off. So meet then?" Naruto nodded.

"Probably meet me outside the gates to baa-chan's compound tomorrow morning." Tenten tilted herhead in confusion. "I mean outside the Senjuu Compound." Tenten nodded.

"Sure! Sounds good to me, Naruto-kun. I help you with weapons and you help me with medic stuff." She held out her hand, pinky extended.

Naruto saw that and gave a small smile before holding his hand out, his own pinky out. As she curled hers around his, she gave him a grin. "It's a deal, Tenten. And an Uzumaki never goes back on their word."


	8. Chapter 8

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **"I never go back on my word, because that's my Ninja Way!"****

 ** **-Uzumaki Naruto****

 ** **Chapter VIII: A Promise****

Ignoring the fearful looks of civilians and the odd glare an older shinobi might send his way, Naruto walked away from the Higurashi shop. His pace was comfortable while he traveled through the District, until suddenly he fell forward onto the pavement, a heavy weight on his back and a crushing force enveloping his entire body. He could feel something tickling the sides of his face and glancing either direction he saw strands of something red. The entire prescence atop him was extremely warm as well, not uncomfortably so but in a way that made him feel at home. Almost like sitting in front of a fireplace on a cold winter day.

"We finally found you, onii-chan!" Tsunami's voice happily exclaimed from where he felt that weight. A sogh escaped someone else's lips from behind him.

"Tsunami, you are causing a scene." Arashi noted. Naruto felt her weight suddenly get up and her bright blush was still in place as he recovered his feet.

"It's fine, Arashi." Naruto said, dusting himself off. "Nami-chan is just a tad... overexcited sometimes." The girl brightly smiled to him. __Especially about me...__ He thought.

"We noticed you gone during the training and Tsunami insisted we track you down." Arashi's calm voice intoned to his elder brother.

"Yeah, where did you go, onii-chan?" Tsunami asked curiously. The boy glanced between them and felt a bit guilty. He couldn't just tell them about Kuromizu's attempt on his life. It would bring about all sorts of questions.

He smiled to them, a smile he had perfected to trick his siblings. The pain of being feared by a majority of the village was not something he wanted them to see in their older brother. He was supposed to protect them. The smile never touched his eyes though.

"Oh, you guys know I like training alone. I just like my privacy when I practice and it worked since I already have the Henge mastered." The two looked at him, Tsunami smiling proudly and Arashi suspiciously, but they didn't mention anything else.

"Well, Arashi-kun got the Kawarimi down to only two seconds. I'm having trouble with the Shunshin though. I keep using too much chakra and tripping." Now that Tsunami said something, Naruto saw there was in fact a bit of dirt on her clothes and a few scrapes on her skin.

Naruto smiled to her. "I'm sure you'll get it down in no time, Nami-chan." He said, eliciting a small blush from her. "If it's control problems, we'll just to increase your chakra control,won't we?"

She suddenly smiled big. "With onii-chan's help I'll definitely get it down!" Before he knew it, Naruto found her wrapping him in a tight embrace. Smiling softly, he hugged his younger sister back.

Arashi watched the scene with mild interest. Emotions weren't really his thing, so he glanced off in a different direction. That's when he noticed something.

The people around them kept glancing at Naruto and Tsunami. The look they had though...

Was that fear? Why would they elicit fear from citizens and even ninja? It didn't make much if any sense to him. Frowning in concentration, he decided he would try and figure out later as his brother was being dragged by his sister down the street. Catching up, he heard why.

"I'm really fine, Nami-chan."

"Come on, onii-chan! We haven't had any fun with you in a long time! You just have to come!" Arashi fell into step behind his abducted older brother, a small smirk in place. "Right, Arashi-kun?"

The blonde boy placed his hands behind his back with a mischievous glint to his eyes. Though he took more after his father's calm nature, some aspects of the Uzumaki were passed to him. "Oh, I agree. Nii-san, if you agree it will be easier. You know that she won't stop until you say yes and if even if you don't, she would just force you to have fun anyways."

The Kaguya-lookalike sighed and nodded, knowing his brother was right. As usual. Arashi would make a much better Namikaze heir and Tsunami would be the better Uzumaki clan head, but he was born first and clan laws were rather strict on that matter. He would have to take control of at least one of them unless he died or became a nukenin.

"Okay... We'll do what you want, Nami-chan." He finally told her, getting a big grin where she closed her azure eyes in response. Naruto shook his head with a smile, but internally he felt warmer seeing that smile. It wasn't something he could explain, just that she truly was like the Sun, brightening his days with that big grin of hers.

"Arigatou, onii-chan!" She exclaimed, hugging his arm with both of hers as she led him on. "I know just the place we can go!" She announced.

"I think I know just where you're thinking." Naruto commented. Arashi nodded agreement as they both knew her favorite place in all of the village. Admittedly, they also liked it though Tsunami's love for the place easily trumped both of theirs combined.

Soon after, the boys were proved correct as a familar ramen stand came into view.

"Oji-san!" Tsunami announced as they walked in, gaining Teuchi's attention quickly. He grinned at the girl, the smiled not slipping even when he saw Naruto. Sure, he knew the rumors but the kid seemed very nice. In the world of ninja, even as just a civilian, he learned that you couldn't trust anything you heard and only half of what you saw.

"Good morning, you three. Haven't seen you in a while though, Naruto." The three got onto stools before the kind old ramen chef.

"I've... been busy." He vaguely answered.

"I imagine so. If I were to believe even a tenth of Tsunami-chan's stories about you, you'll make Hokage at the age of thirteen." Naruto looked over to his blue eyed-sister, who was scratching thr back of her head and grinning sheepishly with a light blush.

"Nah, I think that I wouldn't even want to be Hokage if they offered." He said, garnering attention from Teuchi, Arashi and Tsunami all at once. "I'd rather be ANBU Commander. You don't have to be well-known or well-liked for that position, the opposite of the Hokage and only one position lower in the chain of command."

"You'd make an awesome Hokage though, onii-chan." Tsunami argued, not noticing a few fearful glamces other customers flicked toward the white-haired boy she spoke of at that thought. It didn't go unnoticed by Teuchi, Naruto or Arashi though.

"I still wouldn't take the position. I have my reasons, Nami-chan." __They wouldn't give it to me and I don't know how well I could protect the same people who would rather I never existed...__

Teuchi saw the tension rising and put his friendly smile back in place. "What can I get you three?" He asked, distracting them from ground Naruto would obviously rather keep secret. How his siblings hadn't figured it out yet was amazing, but perhaps Naruto was simply so skilled in hiding it there was no way they could figure out without focus on investigating it.

"Twelve miso!" Tsunami exclaimed. Naruto shook his head.

"You'll end up short if you eat so much, Nami-chan. While that can be cute, how will you ever get a boyfriend I can terrorize if you become a midget?" The girl puffed out her cheeks angrily.

"That's mean to say, onii-chan!"

"Then don't eat so much ramen you get short." He pointed out with an actually genuine smile. She glared at him before grinning big and latching onto his arm.

"Then you'll just have to be my boyfriend when we get older, since you think I'll be so cute." She pointed out while Teuchi chuckled. Naruto spluttered but simply looked away.

"That's not how it works." He mumbled, a blush apparent on his cheeks thanks to his pale skin despite it being small.

"I don't know, nii-san." Arashi said. "Our clan history is full of family members marrying. The Uzumaki bloodline means there are no complications during childbirth or any mental or physical problems with children born even from those as close as twins. It is perfectly reasonable. I wish you the best of luck and that your future relationship blossoms." The blonde was smirking, but he didn't lie.

Tsunami's grin widened as she heard that and she tightened her hold. "Yay! Then I don't want to ever leave your side, onii-chan." She laid her head on his shoulder. "Promise me I can, onii-chan." She told him.

He looked around but only saw Teuchi, Arashi and even Ayame grinning at his predicament. He looked at her and those big, blue eyes cracked his shell as they always did. He simply smiled to her. "I promise I'll always want you at my side, Nami-chan."


	9. Chapter 9

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter IX: To Change the Future****

 ** **"The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious."****

 ** **-John Scully****

Naruto smiled to himself as he had finally gotten away from those two. He had had fun, but now was time to train.

Tsunami had ended up eating almost two dozen bowls of miso, Naruto himself got a few bowls of pork and Arashi only ate two of beef. Somehow, their sister could eat more ramen than an Akimichi and yet never get fat. Now that he thought about it... kaa-san was the same way.

Why did thinking that feel so wrong?

He wondered and thought as he jumped along rooftops in town. It was quite a conundrum. He had Kushina, the woman who gave birth to him and raised him. Then he had Kaguya, the woman who actually showed him love instead of fear.

One person could only have one mother...

If he could only choose one, the decision was simply between two people, but it wasn't a simple decision. It was a decision that would have future ramifications and consequences. It was a decision between two powerful kunoichi. It was a decision between his biological mother or the mother of all chakra who had made him her heir.

The decision was something no seven year old should be forced to do.

In reality, he wasn't being forced to make it. He was simply forcing himself to make it.

There was one way to make it simpler, but he couldn't do it just yet.

Sighing, the boy found himself tree hopping in the aptly named Forest of Death, a.k.a. Training Ground 44. Across the wooden branches he made his way, seeing the next place his feet would jump to and off of in order to quickly make his way to his destination.

His thoughts then strayed to his siblings. Arashi and Tsunami...

They were so ignorant. Ignorant of his pain. Ignorant of his treatment. Ignorant of his problems.

He couldn't blame them though. If Arashi or even Tsunami were in the same position, it would probably take some time for him to notice as well. He actually hoped they stayed naive to what he had to live through. Especially Tsunami.

Arashi could probably stay calm if he learned and could keep it secret, but if their sister learned...

He didn't need to have to be clairvoyant to know lots of fire around the village would be involved. Lots and lots of fire.

And possibly a certain nine-tailed fox demon being released.

He chuckled at that thought as he landed in a certain grove of the forest.

 _ _Kaa-chan?__ Naruto thought, hoping for some sort of response. Gaining none, he looked around his 'training ground' in the forest. It was the very same grove he had created his forst shadow clone in during the eclipse yesterday.

He smiled at that thought. So much good happened since he met his kaa-chan. There was some bad as well, but he was used to that as well and the bad was not her fault.

Shaking his head, he shook those thoughts away but suddenly felt a tightening in his head and a single throb before his vision shifted.

 _ _A full moon hovered in the sky over an open, green field. It was silent as two figures looked at each other, standing on opposite sides of the grassy landscape.__

 _ _On one end was a boy, maybe fourteen, with a pineapple ponytail of blonde hair streaked with red, cold, purple eyes, tan skin and wearing a black trench coat over a standard ANBU uniform minus the mask and instead a Konoha hitai-ite on his forehead. In his hand was a large battle-fan with a red handle and the cloth being blue as the sky, cloud-like shapes seemingly moving across the surface.__

 _ _Across from him was a boy in a silver yukata accented with black edging filled with crescent moons every few inches along the black border. His spiky, snow-white hair rose up inches above his head with two bangs framing his face and curved, bone-white horn-like protrusions rising from his forehead. Two red dots were above his thin, white eyebrows. His left eye was a bright electric blue with six rings while his right eye was a milky white, nine tomoe floating inside, spinning in three rings. In the boy's right hand was a bone-white scythe which measured six feet in length and a silver, curved blade four feet long from wide base to wickedly-sharp tip. His hitai-ite was around his neck and had a slash mark through it.__

 _ _"Hello, little brother." The scythe-wielder said. "Come again to try and capture me?"__

 _ _"You destroyed our family, nii-san... I've come to kill you! Tsunami is devastated and blames herself, kaa-san hates you and you took tou-san from this world without regard for anyone but your selfishness! You will die here tonight!" The fan-wielder shouted.__

 _ _"Poor, deluded Arashi. I have never done anything for selfish reasons."__

 _ _"You lie, Naruto!" Arashi yelled, all calm gone as he gripped his fan and swung it.__ ** _ **"Soraton: Boukunkaze!"**_** _ _The fan crackled with electricity as it released winds traveling fast enough to rip trees from the ground and coated with electricity. The wayward Uzumaki watched it come as his left eye glowed.__

 ** _ **"Yuureigan!"**_** _ _He announced the name of his doujutsu before jumping high and levitating high above where the winds created a path of carnage, ripping up grass and dirt before traveling over a nearby river, ripping up gallons and gallons of water in its path that joined the earth as it passed before losing chakra and ending. Arashi glared up at his brother and gripped his fan tightly before speeding up into the sky with the aid of wind. He easily passed Mach speed, shutting his fan and using it more like a staff as he swung it, parried by his calmer brother.__

 _ _"You've gained some strength behind your blows since last time, Little Brother." Naruto commented even as he spun around the blonde boy's jab, kicking him in his back. "Not enough speed though." Arashi was sent a ways away through the air by his brother before stabilizing and glared at him.__

 _ _"Shut up!" Arashi thrust his palm out and a sealing matrix formed midair before literally hundreds of kunai shot at Naruto.__ ** _ **"Ninpou: Kouame!"**_** _ _He shouted, but wasn't finished as he formed handseals with his wind holding his fan.__ ** _ **"Kage Kunai Bunshin no Jutsu!"**_** _ _Hundreds became millions all shooting at a single target thanks to Arashi's mastery of both his Soraton and Fuuton affinities.__

 _ _Naruto looked at them, unafraid and instead a look akin to pride showing in his eyes. "Such an amazing collaboration jutsu, Little Brother. You always were smart." His scythe glowed silver all over as he spun it, his left eye having the third ring glow brighter. "But I have to survive a bit longer.__ ** _ **Yuredou: Tsuki no Ishi!"**_** _ _Suddenly a hole in reality opened in front of him and swallowed all of the kunai before shutting.__

 _ _Arashi saw the display and growled, gripping his fan harder as he sped forward, the winds howling as his mood darkened. Opening the weapon, he released another burst of static wind, and another, and another. The barrage of slicing winds headed right for Naruto.__

 _ _"Anger will cloud your judgement, Little Brother." Naruto spoke as he coated his blade in his fire chakra, slashing in large arcs to burn the winds and deflect them skyward. "You must rid your emotions in battle to find peace." Arashi glared harder, appearing right in front of his older brother and swinging his fan, but being parried. "You are ignorant despite the knowledge you believe you have."__

 _ _Arashi's anger grew with Naruto's voice hitting his ears and he changed the elements he was using to wind and water in order to make his winds no longer static, but icy gales.__

 _ _"Rid your passion for serenity." Naruto continued as he let his silver blade disperse into silver powder which dashed forward and formed a tightly woved barrier in front of him. "See harmony through the chaos and you will find the answer." His bone-white scythe handle then began to crack before becoming powder as it fell to the floor like ivory snow.__

 _ _"I already know the answer! If you die, then tou-san is avenged and there will be one less danger to the clan and to the village." Naruto shook his head sadly.__

 _ _"So naive... I had thought you would be the one to unlock the secret, Arashi." Naruto allowed his silver dust to disperse like shining specks, floating around both him and his brother but able to be used for any purpose he wanted. He held out his hand, palm upwards as a blue orb of chakra appeared. "You will be the second person I have had to use this on, Arashi, but know that I apologize. You will be hidden until you wake, I promise that."__

 _ _Arashi was about to demand answers when the orb turned completely silver with a blink of his eye and then horn-like protrusions grew to either side so it appeared like a boomerang... Or a crescent moon.__ ** _ **"Tsukiton: Rasengetsu!"**_**

 _ _It hit Arashi and...__

 _ _Everything went black.__

As his vision returned to his actual position in space and time, Naruto held his head in his hands, breathing hard and on his knees. His eyes were wide as he stared at the ground, in complete shock at what he had just seen.

Arashi and him... Fighting... Arashi wanting him dead... Him using some upfraded form of the Rasengan to subdue him. He already knew he was doomed to killing Minato, he had seen that multiple times in multiple ways... But this...

It was the aftermath.

If doing that turned calm as stone, cold as ice Arashi into someone so angry... What would it do to Tsunami?

He placed his hands on the ground and dug his nails in. He didn't want to hurt them... But he didn't want to die by Minato's hands either. He needed some way to keep either future from becoming true.

 _ _"One true power of the moon is not the ability to see the future."__ He heard Tsukiyomi's voice, probably that smirk on his face. __"It is the ability to change it."__

"Then I will change the future... So nobody has to ever be in pain again and no one wants to kill another. I will bring peace to the world." He whispered, a new conviction in his eyes. Naruto couldn't see it but the right one had grown a single tomoe before it disappeared.

A new voice rang in his head. __"Let us begin your training now, Naruto-chan."__


	10. Chapter 10

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter X: The Future****

 ** **"Ignorance is Bliss."****

 ** **-Proverb****

 ** **"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"****

 _ _"Good, Naruto-chan."__ Kaguya's caring voice spoke from Naruto's head, encouraging him and supporting him as he did things correctly. He had spawned a single, solid clone of himself which stood just across from him and staring back. __"The thing about your clones, Naruto-chan, is that they can't hear me. However, they still have access to your bloodlines."__

 _ _"And they can hear me."__ Tsukiyomi told him. __"But only if I want them too."__

 _ _"There is still one aspect your clones cannot use. Your Silver Dust. They can control other silver materials, but not the dust I gifted you with."__

 _ _Why?__ Naruto thought.

 _ _"The dust is infused with my own personal chakra. Only you have access to it. Because of that, there are certain abilities I will teach you which only you can use. For example, even though a shadow clone might have the Rinnegan, only you can use all of the Paths at once. Each clone can only use a single Path."__

 _ _Rinnegan?__

 _ _"Well... It is a doujutsu. The abilities of it vary between holders, but their are always six 'Paths' which contain one or two strong abilities. The seventh path, the Outer Path, is the same for all holders and involves the ability to create many constructs of the user's chakra including rods which can disrupt chakra or receive chakra signals from far away."__

 _ _I don't quite understand, but I'll just wait to see it in action, kaa-chan.__

 _ _"That's quite alright, sochi-kun. Now, today's training I will teach you shape manipulation. I had planned shurikenjutsu, but someone went and made plans with a cute girl for that~!"__ Naruto blushed a little.

 _ _Kaa-chan! It's not even like that!__

 _ _"If you say so~!"__ Naruto sighed and waited for her to continue. __"Today is about your silver dust. It will work on its own to protect you, but you must also learn how to use it offensively. The fact is that even though it moves quickly, by actively controlling it you increase its speed and by using your hands to move it, the speed increases further."__

Naruto nodded at that statement, forming a fist with his right and gathering his dust into a compact sphere in front of him. __"Good, you've already figured out how to gather it. The dust reacts to your hand movements and chakra is virtually unnecessary to do it. You can use chakra to move it without hand movements, but it would be best to first gain control of it with hand movements."__

 _ _Of course, kaa-chan. Why did you have me summon a clone?__

Suddenly the clone's feet lifted from the ground and he levitated an inch above the ground. __"While I cannot become a clone, I can control them until the Sliced Moon. That means I will be able to aid in your training. Unfortunately I can only infuse your bunshin with one aspect of my abilities each. This one has the Yuureigan's full Spectre ability. Half of that is the Flight you have while the other half is Levitation. With these two aspects, he will act as a target."__

The clone then formed a cross-like handseal and in a mass of smoke, over a hundred more flying clones materialized. __"Well, one of many targets."__ Naruto could feel her smirk and had one of his own on his lips.

 _ _"Remember that the dust's shape is only as limited as your imagination."__ He heard Tsukiyomi. Naruro nodded and let his fist go before he formed a claw with his hand and thrust it forward, causing the dust to do the same. It reached out for one of the clones, but was too slow as he dove under it.

Frowning to himself, Naruto had it come back as a ball by him before deciding to separate it into multiple spheres around himself. He didn't know where the forms he was using came from, they were instinctual. Ten smaller spheres hovered behind his back, five on his left and five on his right. He saw the clones circling him and had another of those gut feelings.

Clapping his hands together, he then suddenly had them separate with palms pointed away from himself and all ten orbs shot out faster than he could keep up with and two clones popped while the compact balls themselves hit trees, embedding themselves inches deep much to his surprise.

"So fast..." He whispered. Already, he could see the spheres impaling enemies too fast to dodge or block, causing deaths.

 _ _Naruto's vision slowed down as he saw the sword-wielding shinobi from Iwa approaching Tsunami, sword inches from her body. The brown-haired ninja had a murderous smirk in place, ready, willing and happy to end the young kunoichi's life.__

 _ _"No!" Naruto shouted and his silver dust formed as spheres before shooting forward and tore right through the Iwa nin's arm, eliciting a scream from him before more spheres tore holes elsewhere in his body.__

Naruto inhaled deeply as he recovered from his vision.

 _ _What the...?__

 _ _"Hm... Tsukiyomi-kun?"__

 _ _"Interesting. A partial vision triggered by simply seeing potential in a technique."__

 _ _"Was it a potential event or a locked event though?"__

 _ _What do you mean, kaa-chan?__

 _ _"She means whether the event is on one Path or on all of them. When assaulted by visions of the future, not all will come true. The reason is because many futures are possible based on decisions you may make. One decision may create a thousand potential futures or may keep a thousand potential futures from ever coming true. I believe it would not matter if that event was potential or locked. Perhaps his bloodline was triggered and simply chose one corresponding event from a random Path of the Future."__

 _ _"One good thing did come from it though."__ Kaguya commented. __"Though not quite Gedoudama, those silver spheres do pack quite a punch. If you can increase your speed and reaction time, it might even be able to shoot through any defense. I believe it may be good to make these Gindama your default form and learn shape manipulation from them instead of from a single, larger ball."__

Naruto eyed the clones and concentrated, using his will to pull the now named Gindama from trees and surround him. With a focused glint in his eyes and a determined smirk on his lips, the white-haired boy changed three orbs to spear-like constructs and shot them out as one thought was in his mind.

 _ _This... is gonna be fun.__

 ** **[Uzumaki Compound, Hours Later]****

Naruto walked through his compound gates, a tired but happy smile on his face. He had made quite some progress with his dust in a few hours. It was hard not to though when a thought changed their shape.

Kaguya had warned him that shape manipulation of chakra would be much more difficult for him than the dust.

Obviously he had found a way to do it by fourteenor fifteen though, if that vision was any indication.

Frowning, Naruto thought about that vision when Arashi and him fought. He had already decided he didn't want that future but with the new knowledge Tsukiyomi had given him on potential and locked futures...

Washe doomed then to have Arashi wanting him dead? To hurting Tsunami?

Shaking his head, Naruto decided to not even think about it. It wasn't worth the stress it would give him. And stress was surely the only thing he could gain from it.

Spying his room's window, Naruto smiled and made his way to the building but stopped as he heard voices. Curious, he silently made his way closer, Gindama formed just in case. The noises were coming from the clan dojo, he saw. Door slightly ajar, he quietly looked inside to see both Minato and Kushina, seemingly just finished training with Tsunade in the same room.

The strangest part was how the blonde Sannin looked very angry.

She never got mad where he could see and honestly,it scared him how much Killer Intent she was instinctively releasing. Minato seemed unaffected by it but Kushina looked a little... guilty?

"...idea what I saw in those eyes?" Apparently he had caught his baa-chan mid-rant. "The pain, the isolation, the downright self-hatred?"

"Sensei..." Kushina tried to interrupt but Tsunade didn't let her.

"I expected better of you two! Minato, you're the Hokage! You should be setting an example for thecitizens of Konoha of nothing else. And Kushina, you disgust me. The Uzumaki are supposed to place family above everything. You've put your fear above your role as mother, a role some women would kill for. A role I would kill for!"

"Tsunade, I don't think..." Minato tried to speak, but the female blonde didn't allow it.

"No, you don't think. You don't think at all. You might be the greatest genius of your generation, hut you're an idiot in so many things. If you took the time to think you would realize just how your actions affected him. No friends. No parents. Feared by nearly everyone in the village. Its a wonder he hasn't run away yet!"

The two were silent a bit with their thoughts until she continued. "You've favored Arashi amd Tsunami because you see yourselves in them, yet ignored Naruto. He is nearly a perfect fusion of the two of you. He may have different looks, but he is definitely your child. He has your intelligent, yet caring nature Minato and your desire to protect his family, Kushina."

Tsunade smiled softly as she thought of the boy. "Naruto will be a truly great shinobi, a great man. He has all the potential to outshine even my grandfather and grandmother if he wishes. If he is taught to control and refine his abilities." Then she frowned. "Teaching he should be receiving from his parents."

Kushina and Minato shared a glance and the Hokage gave Kushina a look that seemed to say 'I have an idea that will benefit us.'

"Tsunade, I realize we have been bad parents." She looked at him, surprised he hadn't defended his actions more. Or at least Kushina. The redhead was a mighty stubborn woman. "I realize that given your... condition it makes you angry to see anyone do what we did, especially given your care for Naruto specifically."

Both women waited patiently to see where this was going. "I also realize that you love him your own son, right?" Tsunade nodded once.

"I couldn't ask for a better child if I could make one with any traits myself. Even if I could perform the genetic engineering that Orochimaru thought would be possible given more understanding of the human body. Even if I could do that, I couldn't make a better child." Minato smiled and nodded.

"And it is too bad that you have no heir for the Senjuu clan, while we have three heirs for the two clans." Kushina saw where this was going and she widened her eyes.

 _ _M-Minato-kun... What is he doing? This... it's so wrong.__ She wanted to speak up, but she just happened to look at the door and saw a single eye peering through. That electric blue eye froze her inher tracks as fear paralyzed her.

"What are you saying, Minato?" Tsunade demanded.

"How would you feel about formally adopting Naruto as a Senjuu on his ninth birthday?"


	11. Chapter 11

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter XI: Manipulator****

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. Tears gathered as he felt the betrayal his tou-san had just uttered.

Meamwhile, Tsunade recovered from her own shock and glared at Minato, fist clenched. __You... son of a...__ With a tremendous amount of effort, she reigned in her anger and looked at him, fist still clenched. His lips were quirked up in a triumphant smirk as emotions played over her face in quick succession. __I need to stay calm.__

She looked at the Namikaze harder and sighed. "I agree. I will adopt Naruto-chan as my own son on his ninth birthday." Minato's smirk widened.

His redheaded wife was still staring at the door, where that single eye froze her in her tracks. She wasn't frozen for fear, not entirely, anymore though. That eye showed an emotion she hadn't noticed before as Minato had spoke. It showed... betrayal and hurt.

 _ _A monster can't feel those though...__ She thought. __Kaguya are bloodthirsty monsters and Tsukiyomi was a sociopathic manipulator. He has the blood of both, he should be unable to care about this sort of thing.__

An idle thought struck her like lightning, hitting her to the core. __Was I... wrong?__

Tsunade always had loved Naruto unconditionally, never feared the boy. She wasn't afraid in the slightest of him.

But the Kaguya were known to snap at a moment's notice, without warning and slaughter anyone in their path of carnage. How could she possible overlook that?

Looking at the door, she saw the eye was gone. Tsunade had also left. Her thoughts had prevented her from even noticing.

 _ _He's going to be gone and I won't have to be so afraid... but why does my chest feel so hollow about it?__

Naruto felt a biting chill to his face as the night winds biffeted against his salty tears. His heart clenched in a painful sensation he had never felt before in his whole life. He didn't like it one bit.

Tears blurring his vision, he tried to make his way to room, seeing the building. Trying to get there faster, he somehow focused enough to turn his dust into a platform and let it take him there as he was there, on hands and knees, a salty floodgate opening as watery streaks fell down his nose to the silver, moisture soon creating a small pool on his dust.

When it stopped, he looked up and saw his room. Tsunami was inside, asleep in a chair next to his bed. Arashi nowhere in sight. The cold fist around his heart clenched harder, tightening and further restricting his breathing as he saw her. How would Tsunami take the news?

Slowly, he forced himself to sit on his knees and look at her prone, innocent form.

Tsunami would be devastated that he was being banished from the clan. It might hurt him now, that pain would ebb away with the passage of time, like sand on a beach at high tide. Tsunami was different though. The auburn heiress would... she would...

Suddenly, his head felt a familar sensation as he was pulled along the Paths once more.

 _ _Thirteen year old Tsunami had her legs hugged close to her chest, tears barely held back as her face was buried in her arms. Her sniffling sobs filled the room once belonging to Naruto, which looked exactly as he had left. She was on his bed, the only thing she allowed anyone to touch and the place she came when the pain became roo much.__

 _ _"Onii-chan..." She mumbled incoherently as her tears fell from her delicate face, eyes red and bloodshot.__

 _ _Suddenly, she heard a noise and looked up, hope filling her eyes until out the window she could see Arashi practicing his chains on wooden dummies. "Onii-chan... I miss you so much..." She mumbled. "I just want to see you... just once. I'm so sorry..."__

 _ _Her lip was quivering in her self-pitying sobs. "Onii-chan... I don't care about what you did... I just want you back." Her mumblings were unheard by anyone but herself. It was quite a sad sight to see such a beautiful girl marring her soft features with the flood of tears. "I love you so much, onii-chan..."__

Naruto's pupils dilated and he inhaled as he returned to his position in front of his window. He clenched his robe in two fists as he looked at the redheaded girl in his room. That must have been a little after he killed Minato, he assumed.

He made Tsunami cry. That was a horrifying thought. The worst part was that he knew that wasn't the first and probably not the last time either. Tsunami always had been highly emotional. She was extremely attached to him, more so than anyone else. Those two things combined would only end to her being hurt upon his leaving.

Perhaps... perhaps there was a way to prevent it though. Sighing, Naruto shakily stood. His tears had dried, pushing his own emotional turmoil to his core as he became focused on Tsunami's. Opening his window, he quietly stepped inside and allowed his silver to disperse around the room. Shutting his window, he was caught by surprise as he felt arms hug him from behind. He knew whose they were though.

"Onii-chan..." Tsunami whispered as she hugged him, tightening her grip on him as if he might disappear any moment. Naruto slowly turned around in her grip, hugging her closer to himself.

"Don't worry, Nami-chan." He whispered as he stroked her hair softly, making her press her head into his chest.

"You keep leaving, onii-chan..." She mumbled. "You keep leaving and it scares me!" He felt her clench her fists in the back of his robe. "It scares me so much. I know you always come back... but I can't help thinking one day you won't..."

Naruto's eyes widened a little but he just continued to run his fingers through her red tresses. "I couldn't stand the thought of you gone, onii-chan. I would miss you so much." He could feel a moisture in his robes as her tears began flowing and leaked through the silk. "I don't you to leave!"

Naruto felt that cold hand around his heart clench again, hating the pain that shot through his being. It was worse than the looks, he could ignore those. It was worse than any injury, those healed because of his bloodline very quickly. It was worse than anything else because it was hurting Tsunami.

He held her closer to himself, hand on the back of her head. "Shush, Nami-chan. Don't think about that. I'm here right now, aren't I?" She looked up at him, azure eyes meeting pale electric blue. She smiled a sad smile that tugged on his heart, making him torn between the warmth her eyes showed and the despair her smile hinted at.

"H-hai, onii-chan." She replied before burying her head in his chest again, "I love you, onii-chan." She whispered. Naruto smiled as her warmth spread throughout his being, somehow making him feel better despite everything that had happened today.

"I love you too, Nami-chan." He replied, his chin atop her head. He felt her silky soft strands of red underneath him, her arms around him, her face pressed against him.

"Onii-chan... Can I... sleep in your bed?" He heard from below him. He pulled back from the embrace and looked at her as she raised her face to lock eyes with him. A simple smile is all he wore before answering.

"Of course, Nami-chan. I promised I would always want you with me earlier. You can sleep with me tonight." She grinned happily and hugged him tight. The white-haired boy smiled at her reaction, happy that she was back to her bubbly self and not the sad girl he'd seen both in future and present.

 _ _I don't ever want to see that Tsunami again...__ He thought to himself. __This bright as the Sun Tsunami is the best one, the only one that should ever exist.__

Naruto, with all his focus in cheering her up gone, finally felt the soreness of his training once more and his smile strained. Tsunami seemed to somehow be able to feel a change in him and looked at him with concern. "What's wrong, onii-chan?"

"Nothing, just a little sore. A night of sleep will cure it very quickly." She kept her azure eyes on him but then smiled and led him to his bed.

"Then sleep, silly onii-chan." She told him, lifting the covers and pushing him into the matress with little effort. When his head hit the pillow, he couldn't get up even if he wanted.

The next instant, Tsunami was laying next to him, her deep oceans of blue looking into his pale electric blue eyes. Her lips wore in a soft smile as she wrapped her arms around him and he mirrored her actions, using his silver dust to place the blanket over them. "You're really warm, Nami-chan." He told her, causing her to grow a bright blush.

"Um.. Th-thank you, onii-chan." She said, watching as his eyelids slowly closed. She kept her eyes on her sleeping brother and bit her lip in nervousness before she allowed her conviction to take over when she was sure he was completely asleep.

Leaning forward, she eyed his lips and smiled, placing her own to his as she felt them beneath her own, firm yet with a certain softness. Closing her eyes, Tsunami felt his arms around her waist and imagined he was actually awake, holding her gently. She smiled softly to herself and slowly pulled away from him, placing her head on her chest with a happy smile and a content sigh.

"Good night, onii-chan." She said quietly, almost inaudibly. "I love you, just like I said. I mean it more than you did. I don't want you as my brother, I want to love you in every way. I don't care how long it takes... I will have you." She smiled atnthe thought. "But I'll stay like this for the moment." Before she shut her eyes, they became a deep crimson, pupils slitting like a certain bijuu's.

 _ _How... intriguing.__ A voice from Naruto'shead thought at the scene. __Amaterasu's reincarnation so far gone with infatuation in my own to be like this... This should be entertaining.__


	12. Chapter 12

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter XII****

Leaning against his Shinigami no Kinkami, Tsukiyomi smirked darkly to himself from the soulscape. The blood moon hung above his kingdom, just as he liked. It brought back a clear memory of his life.

"That smirk always spelled trouble, Yomi-kun." The silver-haired man frowned as he heard that voice. It was one he hadn't heard in a millenia. Locating its source, he widened his silver orbs infinitesimally in surprise as a pair of mischievous crimson eyes matched his own.

"I didn't expect you to be here, Kurami." He said with little emotion as he looked at the vixen. Even if he only remembered her as a child in her 'human' form, he could still recognize the woman. Once short, crimson locks easily flowed down past her hips, her skin was still blemishless and pale and those lips still looked full. No longer was she a mere child standing to his waist but just a tad shorter than him now with desirable curves well-accentuated in a crimson kimono accented with black edging that showed off her long legs very well. A few demonic featurea gave her a somehow slightly feral, yet incredibly sexy look such as the foxy ears poking from her crimson tresses, the slightly longer than normal canines - one of which poked from her lip as she smirked - her two or three-inch claws and lastly the nine, swaying, bushy tails of fur matching the color of her hair which her title came from.

"Oh, silly Yomi-kun." She said playfully as she took a step towards him. "Don't you know the principles of us beings locked inside another? When two jinchuuriki are in close proximity, they can form a connection and they, plus the prisoners, can communicate. Naruto is basically the same. I could __smell__ the moon's blood in him. A strange mix of silver and rabbits. All Tsunami and Naruto have to do is sleep in physical contact..." she was by him now and her tails brushed his face as she turned slightly away from him to look at the moon. "And our domains become one."

Tsukiyomi thought about that a moment. "What about Amaterasu?" He asked, eliciting a fanged smirk from the demoness.

"Oh, Amaterasu and Ashura are still unaware of this. Amaterasu is anyways, Ashura is sleeping like a baby." Tsukiyomi gripped his scythe upon hearing that news. "Oh? You didn't think Naruto was the only one that an Outsutsuki made their heir, did you? Naruto got the will of Kaguya, but my container has Ashura's."

 _ _This complicates matters greatly. If Ashura is here, Indra won't be far away. Their chosen heirs always know each other from a young age. But the others... would the others make heirs too? Hagoromo never has, thankfully, but it's a possibility since Kaguya has. Benihime would only choose an Uzumaki and there are few left. Then there's Hamura and his side, but they've never chosen a single heir, so I'm not too worried about that.__

"Why tell me this?" Tsukiyomi asked, genuinely curious. "You know I'll just use the information to my benefit." Kurami turned back to look at him, crimson meet silver once more as she half a little half-smile which would cause mere mortal men to do anything she desired.

"We'll be spending a lot of time together, Yomi-kun. Think of it as a favor. I rub your ears, you rub mine." The scythe-wielder simply looked at her without much emotion. "You're no fun! Not even a blush?" She said in a tone some might call whiny, but you don't call a demon queen whiny unless you a slow, painful death.

"I happen to hold to the puppeteer's code." He informed her. "Just as my reincarnation will be raised to do." Kurami giggled.

"Strange code, if you ask me."

Tsukiyomi frowned and looked at the moon. "It is not."

 _ _"Emotions are simply another puppet to control intricately. Do not show your own unless they manipulate another's puppet to a position favorable to your desires. Take advantage of any emotion your target shows you. Diplomacy is simply a new battle with different tools and different competitors, the outcome should remain the same. Win the battles you must, lose the battles that would aid you to lose, run when overpowered, destroy your weaker opposition from the shadows. Battle has no rules, just as life has no rules. The stronger party creates the laws. Be the stronger party by using your mind and you will always be in control to work from the shadows and set your strings. This is the puppeteer's third code, Seimaru and Tsuha, do you understand?"__

 _ _"Hai, otou-sama!"__

 _ _"Excellent. Of your siblings, I'm trusting only you two with these arts. Use them wisely."__

Tsukiyomi shook the memory away of a lesson with two of his children. He still wished he could have imparted more knowledge to all of his heirs and heiresses, wished he could continue to manipulate generations of ninja from his alotted lifespan, but it was not to be. Seimaru's Sabaku clan and Tsuha's Akasuna clan were still strong, he admitted.

Every Kazekage thus far had belonged to Seimaru's clan of ancestors while Tsuha's always acted as the Kage's advisor, pulling strings as he or she saw fit. He was extremely dissatisfied with a certain member though. Sasori gave in to his passions and killed the Sandaime, forgetting the Third Puppeteer's Code.

"The Code of Puppeteers is a system of laws I created myself to teach all users of the art the correct philosophy and way of life to be a successful string puller. It is more than just a battle style. You know very well how much pride I took in creating it, Kurami. You were one of the three people to help me."

The redhead smirked. "Yeah, I was bored. Still, it is a truly foxy style of fighting. Trick your opponents, lead them to traps, make them pay for not seeing the true meaning in the battle. You were the second ningen to understand the way of demonkind's fighting. The first one summed it up well in his little book. 'The greatest victory is from a battle you don't have to fight.'"

Tsukiyomi chuckled. "I truly would like to read this work at some point. It would probably aid me or my reincarnation." Kurami simply smiled mysteriously. "Of course, I asked you all throughout my life and you still didn't tell me his name or the name of his work, so I can't really search for it."

"And it shall remain as such." She pointed out. Looking around, she shook her head. "Your chosen scenery is so horrific." She said. "Almost as bad as that genjutsu you taught to Indra's son that you had the audacity to name after yourself." Tsukiyomi chuckled.

"Yes... one of the times my brothers worked in tandem with me. I still never got to receive my boon from the clan. I have to say, Amaterasu's blessing and Susano'o's were rather devastating and not worth what they asked for."

"I can honestly say I have no idea what you mean." Kurami told him.

"Amaterasu infused Indra's son with fire. When the fire was channeled through the eyes it reacted with the doujutsu's natural Yin chakra to create a black flame which was actually Blaze Release. One of my children actually ended up creating a clan with the bloodline, though I didn't like Fire too much." Shaking his head, Tsukiyomi continued. "And Susano'o gave him a truly amazing ability. The left eye was an 'ethereal' eye while the right was a 'corporeal' eye in terms of abilities. By using them together, one would be able to manifest an ethereal construct of chakra akin to armor as he could. Susano'o did like unlocking several smaller sub-elements, you know. One of those was an Ethereal Release. Used with his Sky and Sea Releases made him terrifying in battle."

Kurami nodded. "I do remember that, but I was talking about the boons?" Tsukiyomi nodded.

"Of course. Well, Amaterasu wanted the Totsuki blade from their clan. Susano'o instead wished for their sacred mirror. I chose instead for a future favor that the clan had to honor, no matter when I chose to call on it." Tsukiyomi scowled, the first time he had in centuries. "Of course, I had no idea they knew of my plans and were preparing even then."

"They were?" Kurami asked. "I did always wonder the why and how of your sealing. They told not a soul." Tsukiyomi chuckled.

"Yes, strong they were and arrogant as well. Their confidence was well-founded however. I will tell you the 'why and how' of my sealing. First you have to know that despite Kaguya's sealing, I still was able to contact her."

Kurami's eyebrows furrowed as she heard that, unsure how that could be. "Confused? It is simple. My powers come from the moon and she was sealed into it. The fact is that Outsutsuki Kaguya is actually a high source of my power. The moon itself slowly took bits and pieces of her power and created its own. Kaguya herself, when in my proximity, would enhance my powers greatly. It was a strange relationship though. We were constantly trying to manipulate each other at the same time I manipulated others and her puppet manipilated others."

Kurami didn't understand the part about Kaguya's puppet but ignored it. "As time went on, I began to share her views of the world needing peace but I chose a different route than her in obtaining it. She sought to use the Shinjuu to cast everyone under an eternal hypnosis. I had no such access to the primordial chakra of the tree, nor the power of the Juubi - which would've required me to contain all nine of you and your siblings might I add - so I chose something which I could use at a higher level thananyone before and anyone since."

"Illusions." Kurami noted.

"That's exactly right. Simultaneously it is incorrect. Illusions __under the moon__ were my specialty. There is an aspect of the Tsukiton not many knew of though. Using it, I can reflect things like a mirror. The moon itself is the greatest mirror ever created, you know. I had to await the next blood moon and my plan was simple. I would use my bloodline to cast an ultimate illusion while also using my bloodline to reflect it off the blood moon onto the world.

"By using my own chakra as a trigger, I could reflect it off Kaguya's and the Juubi's pools contained in the moon, enhancing it to such a degree as to trap every living soul within it and deliver unto them their own personal utopia. Every being would be connected in a chakra network shared over the Earth granting those living an eternal life in their heavenly illusions."

Kurami thought a moment. "That... might actually work. And you wouldn't have to use any chakra but the first trigger. No one could dispel it unless everyone dispelled it at once or unless Kaguya herself used a chakra pulse to disrupt the illusion."

Tsukiyomi nodded. "Precisely why I chose this method. Somehow, Amaterasu and Susano'o caught wind though and confronted me on a new moon, at my weakest. It was even worse since their power far outmatched mine individually." Kurami pursed her lips in thought.

"That can't be right. I seem to recall you beating them in spars I watched."

"I said nothing regarding who was smarter or faster." He told her. "I had my genjutsu, kamajutsu and kugutsu to aid me in their ambush. Even with no moon out, I still had power in spades and used every ounce of it. Without their boons, I might've won too." He chuckled but there was no humor in it. "But that damn mirror reflected my illusions and when Amaterasu finally struck with Totsuka instead of his usual Taiyo no Tsurugi, it was over."

He smirked. "Or they thought. My illusions were able to not only influence people, but objects and even reality in small areas. One such illusion allowed me to change the seal matrix on Totsuka for the instant I was struck. It allowed me to be sealed not in the blade, but within the chakra of my reincarnations."

"So that's how you've been keeping track of the world." She said. "You were always the kind who thirsted for knowledge and I know you would just hate to be sealed for a millenia and thrust back in the world, completely ignorant."

Tsukiyomi nodded. "Though Naruto is the first able to communicate with me. He is also the first to fully awaken my powers. Others have gained partial aspects, such as Mirror Release, perfect illusions, perfect control, so on and so forth. I am, nonetheless, able to use their senses to see the outside world and have access to all their memories, meaning I memorized quite a bit of information."

Kurami shook her head with a smile. "Same Yoki-kun." She paused and sighed. "Seems our time is up. We'll have to catch up more later." Tsukiyomi nodded, but frowned.

"I was supposed to train Naruto tonight. I suppose I'll have to on a night those two aren't together." Kurami giggled.

"Won't be often if Tsunami can help it." She smirked as her form began to dissipate. "See ya, Yomi-kun. Don't be a stranger, I __really__ missed you over the years."


	13. Chapter 13

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter XIII****

 _ _"Minato, are you insane or did I just marry an idiot?"__

Uzumaki Kushina had bags under her violet eyes from lack of sleep, shakily held a cup of tea in her hands and sadly had her vision firmly placed upon a certain portait of herself, Minato and their triplets.

 _ _"You will thank me for it, Kushina. Just have faith in me."__

Minato was in the back on the left, his arm around her waist while Naruto stood in front between Arashi on his left and Tsunami on his right. Everyone was smiling but Naruto's didn't quite... reach his eyes.

 _ _"I have faith in the Kami, faith that I will one day die, faith that the sun will rise in the morning. What sort of faith would I have in abandoning our eldest son?"__

She was part-Kaguya, as were all her children. Yet, she only shunned and feared him because he looked it. Technically any of them could activate the Shimotsumyaku, but Naruto looked the part.

 _ _"How is that different than how you treat him now?" Minato replied calmly.__

She feared him without reason. She hated him without cause. It wasn't fair for him.

 _ _Kushina stayed silent, looking at the floor while Minato smirked and turned on his heel, walking out of the dojo. Kushina was left with only her thoughts.__

She hadn't slept, yet Minato had been in the room all night. Her mind hadn't rested, but she was sure her husband was dreaming peacefully. She had sat on the sofa with a cup of once hot tea, now very cold, staring at Naruto's picture and trying to contemplate her actions and her inactions.

 _ _Sensei was right. I've been acting like an utter fool.__

With a sigh, she set the cup down and stood. Looking at the window she saw that it was already past dawn, yet she still didn't feel the least bit tired.

She wouldn't go to the bedroom even if she was though. Her disgust at her husband's actions could only be trumped by disgust at her own. How could she let her fear paralyze her in such a moment? She was a kunoichi, dammit!

Sighing, she moved slowly to the kitchen. At the entrance, she froze at the sight. Not for fear, but surprise. Naruto was there, concentrating as some sort of... silver dust moved around the kitchen preparing eggs and pancakes for breakfast. She stayed in the doorway, amazed at this ability.

 _ _Just as Tsukiyomi was said to have, sand of silver that moved to his will as effortlessly as the moon makes the tides. It's strange seeing such an impressive ability used for such menial work.__ Kushina thought, amazement and guilt driving away her fear. She said nothing as she watched him do all of it from the seat.

All on his own, Naruto had gained such an awe-striking aspect of his bloodline supremacy. It was amazing to think of. What could he accomplish with someone helping him along the way?

Biting her lip, Kushina inwardly cringed. There was but one person in the village who could offer any sort of help to her triplets with their kekkai shijou was, in fact, herself. She had the blood to open the Uzumaki Clan scrolls detailing what abilities Outsutsuki Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi and Susano'o had been able to accomplish. With training and hard work, it wouldn't be impossible to recreate those aspects and possibly find ones even those three couldn't use.

Clnching her fist, Kushina nodded to herself. It wouldn't repair everything, but it was a start. First...

Kushina took one step forward, then another, and another. Slowly she began to close the distance between herself and her eldest. When she was finally behind him, she reached out to place a hand on his shoulder but was surprised when...

The dust blocked her!

Had she really already pushed him so far away already that he didn't even want her to touch him? Tears gathered in her eyes at the thought of that. __I deserve it. I've been a horrible mother. Naruto... I want to make it up to you.__ She knew he couldn't hear her thoughts, but it didn't change them.

Blinking back her tears, she retracted her hand and steeled herself. "Naruto?" She called out. Her voice sounded hoarse and shaky, even to her. The boy turned his head and she saw his eyes. Those pale blue eyes that she had ignored for so very long. They looked tortured, like the eyes of a POW who barely survived, uet was never the same.

Now that she thought of it, that was an accurate metaphor. For nearly eight years he had been subject to isolation and hatred, to being feared by tens if not hundreds of thousands of citizens, including his own mother. If nothing else, his mother should have been there to comfort him. Kushina knew it was not so. If anything, it was Naruto's youngest sibling who did that - though unwittingly.

"Hai?" He asked. Kushina bit her lip in thought. There had to be an easy way to start this. How do you begin such a conversation as she wanted to have with him?

The words came to her from nowhere, yet were so blatantly obvious even a blind man would've seen them. "I'm sorry." Her head was bowed down low, eliciting a look of surprise from the snowy-haired boy "I've been a horrible mother to you."

Naruto's eyes widened as the words hit his ears. It was almost like some sort of illusion. He tried to find the strand of chakra linking him to the genjutsu-user so he could take control again, but all he found was the strands connecting his chakra to the silver infused with Kaguya's chakra.

"It took the shock of Tsunade yelling at me to see it, but I admit it." She paused a moment. "I've been disgraceful. The Uzumaki Clan has always believed one law over any other. Blood is more important than anything. I broke that law for eight years."

"Well... Ano..." Naruto tried to think of something to say, but this was all so sudden for him. Sure, he had wanted her to act like a mom for years but... he had a new kaa-chan.

"I know that I have a lot to make up for, years of neglect."

Naruto thought about that and frowned. This had to be an illusion. The person he knew that shared this woman's form wouldn't say these things. He stood from the chair he sat in and looked up at the purple-eyed woman with a piercing gaze.

"Who are you?" He asked.

Kushina heard those words and it struck a chord in her. "Wh-what do you mean? I'm your kaa-san. Don't you recognize your own mother?" Naruto studied the woman, cautious and untrusting.

"You're another assassin, aren't you?" The silver dust suddenly gathered protectively around him, forming three rings around him at neck, waist and knee-height. Naruto looked at them and nodded. He wasn't sure why, but he knew these rings were definitely the best for defense. "I'll take of you too."

Kushina's eyes widened at hearing that. Naruto had had assassins? Even more important... he had taken said assassins out without mentioning it to Minato or himself. Possibly even Tsunade. Yes... Of Tsunade had known, she would have gone ballistic and brought terror upon Konoha. "I'm not an assassin, Naruto."

The boy looked at her, analyzing her for any sort of lies. His eyes scanned hers, her body movements, her facial features and found nothing. He frowned. "You may not be lying, but you are not my mother." He told her. "You are not an assassin," he commented, letting his dust drop to his feet, pooling on the floor around him but ready to react at a moment's notice.

"You are not my mother." He reiterated. "My mother hates me." Kushina felt her heart shatter then. "She looks at me with nothing but distaste and fear. You assassins need a different disguise than her, honestly. Or better acting. Either choose someone who actually cares about my well-being or act like her. Go ahead. Shake in fear and talk in a quivery voice, like you're afraid I'll actually materialize a bone any second and run you through with it." He turned away, looking at the kitchen. "If you try to attack me, my silver dust acts on its own, so I'll just take care of you. Otherwise, I advise you leave. If Minato or the real Kushina see you, you'll be dead anyways."

Kushina was astonished at the way he just talked to her. If she were honest, she knew she deserved it though.

Was that really the way he saw her though? A terrified woman afraid her son would commit matricide... she was. Hanging her head low in defeat, Kushina turned away and sighed. She heard him say something then. "And now Nami-chan and Arashi's breakfast surprise is ruined... I have to start over."

Despite this loss, Kushina smiled to herself. He cared deeply for her siblings. Even if he always hated her for what she had done, she would take solace in that fact.

Looking up as she exited the kitchen, she saw the stairs leading to the bedrooms, more importantly to the master bedroom. The one which Minato was in.

Narrowing her eyes, Kushina held on to a single conviction. Minato may have given Naruto away as if it were nothing, but she would ensure that he stayed a part of this clan even if he lost the Uzumaki and Namikaze name. And she would ensure one more thing.

She would make certain to have Minato and herself make up for their actions. And since she knew the Hokage wouldn't do it the way she was, she would just have to be more creative in creating his penances.


	14. Chapter 14

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter XIV****

Tenten sighed as she leaned against the gate outside the Senjuu Compound. In one hand she was spinning a kunai by its ring around her finger, something that helped her think. Naruto was a bit strange, she thought.

He was polite, which was a given being an heir. He wasn't arrogant like another clan member in her class she could think of. That was despite being son of the Hokage and Aka no Shi.

She hummed in thought.

Then there was the rumors and whispers she heard about him among the citizens and from the matrons at the orphanage. Why would they fear him? He was the Yondaime's eldest and he supposedly might have this Shimotsumyaku bloodline - which sounded pretty awesome to her - so shouldn't they want him to be strong?

She lost her thoughts as someone landed in front of her. She smiled as she saw it was her training partner. "Ohayo, Naruto-kun." She greeted.

"Hello, Tenten." He replied. "I hope you weren't waiting too long?" She shrugged.

"Don't worry, I wasn't here that long. Are you ready then?" Naruto nodded.

"Hai. I have all my tools in seals written on my yukata." He told her, hovering his hand over his sleeve to show her, taking hold of a kunai as it appeared. Tenten was amazed at that.

"That is really cool. I've been studying a little fuinjutsu so I can make my own scrolls and tags, but I never even thought of doing that."

"Well, my whole family has seals on their clothes, mostly just reinforcement and reparation seals though. I don't like relying on scrolls though, so I decided to use storage seals on my clothes." Tenten nodded.

"Do you think you could help me with my fuinjutsu?" She asked. "Nothing too big, I just need some tutoring in storage seals. You seem to have those down pretty well."

"Sure. I can't give you any clan seals, but I don't have a problem helping you. We're friends, right?" He asked. It was only for a second, but Tenten swore she saw something in his eyes. Some sort of feeling she couldn't place... sadness? Distress? Loneliness? Whatever it was, she smiled to him. Even if she didn't know what it was, she knew that he needed a friend just as much as any orphan.

"Of course we are, Naruto-kun." She told him, proud that he smiled at her response. "So, where is this training ground? I've only used the ones set aside for Academy students."

"Well, it's in the north of Konoha, so a few minutes away if we travel by rooftop. Tenten looked up, skeptical. "You've traveled by rooftop already, right?"

"No." Naruto frowned and nodded.

"Then I've got an idea. We'll travel by a different method. The forest is hard to get into unless you can jump the gate." Tenten looked curiously at him as he looked around. "You can't tell a soul though." She nodded.

"I promise." Suddenly, she felt something materialize under her feet and looked down. Some sort of silver platform was under her, slowly lifting her up from the ground. "What is this?"

He smiled as he jumped up to the gate, getting on level with her. "I can control this silver with my chakra thanks to a bloodline I have." Naruto informed the bun-haired girl. "I've trained with it so much making a simple platform for you is easy." He began running along the gate, silver keeping speedwith him even as he began roof hopping.

"That's amazing." Tenten commented. Naruto shrugged.

"Arashi and Nami-chan have more of theirs mastered already. This is the only aspect I can control." He stopped at the last roof on the north side of Konoha before smirking as several small platforms formed between the far-off gate and his position. "Arashi has complete control of lightning and Nami has the same for fire plus immunity." He took off and used the diagonally angled platforms to hop between them and land on a tree in the forest. "Welcome, Tenten, to the Forest of Death!"

 ** **[Senjuu Compound]****

Arashi walked through the vast Senjuu Compound, eyes taking in the acres of land. It truly was amazing just how much belonged to Tsunade even after giving away quite a bit to his parents. As he walked, he couldn't help but practice his bloodline to pass the time.

Sparks crackled over his hand and created a ball above his palm that he threw up and caught, splitting it into five smaller orbs over each finger on his right hand.

He still thought it was amazing that he had activated this ability to create and manipulate lightning. It was pretty cool, actually. Somehow, he just had a feeling a few weeks ago during a thunderstorm and channeled chakra to his hand. The sparks had surprised him, but he was unafraid.

Over time, using scrolls describing shape manipulation to aid him, he had foundit rather simple to change the shape and size of the electricity. Despite that,he was under no impression that it was simply talent. Lightning was an element of the sky, so it was obvious that his bloodline would enable perfect control of it.

He shook those thoughts and dispersed his electric orbs as he saw the building which he knew Tsunade stayed in. It was three stories high and made of chakra wood, formed by Hashirama himself. Despite its makeup of solely wood, it was completely safe from any assault thanks to seals written by Mito, Konoha's first Uzumaki, and Tobirama.

Knocking on the door, Arashi hoped Tsunade was awake and not hungover. An angry Senjuu is not what he needed right now. As the door opened, he supposed he shouldn't have been surprised when it was answered by a ravenette instead.

"Good morning, Shizune-san." He bowed his head slightly. "Is Tsunade-baa here?" He asked politely to the medic. She smiled.

"Hello, Arashi-kun. She is. Come in, come in." The blonde followed her inside, shutting the door behind him. Shizune smiled to him as she led him further.

"It's been a while since you've visited."

"Hai. I wished to ask Tsunade-baa something." He told her as they reached a door that Arashi knew was Tsunade's study. Shizune knocked on the door.

"Enter!" She announced. Shizune opened the door for him, allowing him to walk inside before shutting it, remaining outside. He saw his fellow blonde was at a desk, looking at a scroll and writing in it, mumbling to herself.

"Good morning, Tsunade-baa." He said, causing the Sannin to stop, roll the scroll up and swivel the chair so she could look at him, smiling.

"Well, that's a face I haven't seen and a voice I haven't heard in months. How are you, Arashi-chan?" Violet eyes looked upon the woman before them as the Namikaze cleared his throat.

"I have been well. Otou-sama has begun teaching us the Academy jutsu besides bunshinjutsu." He noticed how her eyes darkened a bit at the mention of their father but shrugged it off. As far as he knew, the two blondes had held a... troubled relationship at best. "I also discovered a unique ability my kekkai seigyou grants me."

Tsunade perked up. "Oh? Care to show off a little for your baa-chan?" She jokingly asked, gaining a sighin response.

"A shinobi doesn't needlessly show off their abilities. It ruins the element of surprise." He told her, gaining a chuckle.

"Of course. I didn't expect any other response from you than that. So, what brings you to my home today? Usually Naruto-chan is the only one who visits me. Sometimes Tsunami-chan is with him, but not usually."

Arashi nodded slowly. "Actually... Naruto is why I came. I wanted to find somethimg out and you were the only one I thought would answer me. Tsunami is a bit too naive to have noticed yet, otou-sama and okaa-sama probably won't answer me and would tell me to stop snooping, but you might actually answer me." Now Arashi had the Slug Princess' full attention.

"That sounds ominous. What about Naruto-chan himself? Why not ask him?" Arashi stayed silent a moment.

"He might not answer me just to 'protect' me. He doesn't want us to worry. I see it in his smile and eyes."

"What is this question then?"

"Why do the citizens fear and hate my nii-san?"

 ** **[Namikaze-Uzumaki Compound]****

Tsunami sighed to herself as she looked around the training ground. They weren't here either. She had been searching everywhere in the compound for onii-chan and Arashi-kun.

Where could they possibly be?

Well... onii-chan would show up eventually, she supposed. Same with Arashi-kun. While she was here, she might as well train. If she couldn't keep up with her brothers and protect them, what kind of Uzumaki would that make her?

 _ _I mean, no Uzumaki has ever abandoned their family, right? That would just make them scum. Uzumaki have to stick together, no matter what!__

That was her last thought before she formed a ram seal and began the process of training her shunshin until her brothers decided to show up again.


	15. Chapter 15

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter XV****

Uchiha Kuromizu appeared before her clan head, Fugaku, kneeling and head bowed so she looked at the wooden floor beneath them. Fugaku himself was alone and without Mikoto right now. It wasn't that rare, actually. His wife and Kushina were the best of friends along with Hyuuga Hitomi, Hiashi's wife, until the woman died a few years ago.

Mikoto's disappearance today was actually one that was scheduled, a visit to the Uzumaki Compound to see Kushina. Fugaku might've joined her and seen Minato except for the small little pest that struck fear in his heart despite being a veteran ANBU.

He still shivered at the thought of his snowy spikes, pale skin and those red dots on his forehead. The Kaguya boy was certainly a demon, more than the jinchuuriki. With jinchuuriki here in Konoha, there had never been an instance of the demon's power escaping. A Kaguya was certain to go on a mass killing spree though.

That's why he had sent Kuromizu, one of his very best assassins, to take care of the problem. Of course, Mikoto had been against it but she hadn't fought any of those monsters. He could still remember as just one of the ivory demons took on dozens of shinobi before his eyes and it took several high-ranking jutsu at once to kill her. The toll had been high though: over sixty for just one Kaguya. Sixty experienced Jounin and ANBU with shortened lives and dozens more injured by that cursed bone witch.

"Deliver me good news, please Kuromizu." He told her, already seeing the bloodbath Konoha would become if the threat wasn't put down. "You took him out, yes?" Unknowingly, his Sharingan materialized, three tomoe to each eye. Fists clenched in stress, he had trouble but evened his bleeding as that nightmarish scene played out in his eyes.

"I apologize, Fugaku-sama. I could not get him alone. He was with either Hokage-sama, Tsunami, Arashi or Tsunade-sama all day." Fugaku sighed and closed his eyes. Truly, did he think it would be so easy? Of course not. If he had been an orphan, he would have no problem taking him out. Unless he was alone though, the assassination would be tracked back to the Uchiha Clan with drastic consequences. Usually, whoever he was with could be killed too but one was the Hokage, one was a Sannin and the other two were the Uzumaki-Namikaze heirs people actually adored and an in-depth investigation would be made.

It was not Kuromkzu's fault, he supposed. He looked at her bowed head and shook his own. "Go on, leave. I will think of something else to do regarding that demon. I would usually punish such a failure, but this is a special case. If anyone finds out I left you with no penance, you will regret it though. Understood?"

"Hai, Fugaku-sama." She left in a swirl of leaves, leaving the Clan Head alone in his office once more. He looked down at his desk at the paperwork and sighed as he saw what was on top.

"Another proposed Marriage Contract to Itachi... Between him and Sasuke my paperwork always exponentially increases. Damn you Kushina for training him so well." He mumbled to himself and eyed the Contract distastefully seeing it was just from one of the Civilian Council offering their daughter's hand in marriage. A non-shinobi citizen that wouldn't last five seconds against a genin. The Uchiha required even civilian members be at least C-rank in fighting ability so why would he even consider a Contract with the pride of his clan to just some merchant's daughter?

Shaking his head, Fugaku found the first humor that day in the logic and greed in some humans. If he wanted a Contract for his eldest, he would want a powerful clan like the Yamanaka or Nara or maybe the Inuzuka or Aburame. The second thing would be that Mikoto would force him to let the two date for some time to see if they could love each other one day.

Unfortunately, Madara's infamy still appeared among the clans towards the Uchiha and while sometimes a Contract might be set between them, it was less than uncommon.

It truly was a travesty, in his opinion, but time would have to fade Madara's significance. There was truly no other way. It was simply good fortune no other Uchiha had turned against the village and that no outside influence increased unease towards the Uchiha.

He would simply have to do his best to increase the positive views outsiders had on Uchiha. One person at a time. But first...

How to kill that ivory demon?

 ** **[Namikaze-Uzumaki Compound, Kushina's Study]****

Kushina and Mikoto sat across from each other in her personal office as they so often had before. A tray sat between them atop her desk with a freshly brewed pot of tea and a cup in each of their hands. This ritual was a regular occurence between them. Each Saturday Mikoto would come to her Compound and they had tea, catching up on what had happened throughout the week.

"Sasuke is still trying to be like Itachi, always following him around and wanting Itachi to teach him." Mikoto told her. "I think it's so cute, kind of reminds me of Tsunami and Naruto, in a way." Kushina flinched at the mention of her eldest. "Are you alright, Kushi-chan?"

The redhead looked into her tea and shook her head. "I'm a sorry excuse for a mother." She told her best friend. Mikoto looked at the Uzumaki matriarch a bit sadly.

"Who ripped your head from between your legs so you finally realized?" She asked. Despite the Uchiha's fame as genjutsu masters, their female clan head was actually rather blunt. She was a kind woman, but seeing her best friend being so neglectful to her son when the Uzumaki supposedly love family above all else did make her quite agitated.

Kushina looked deeper in her cup as if it held the answers to the universe. "Tsunade-sensei."

"I should've guessed. Naruto and her share a relationship of practically mother and son." Kushina chuckled humorlessly.

"It's not practical anymore, thanks to my __husband__."

"What do you mean?" Mikoto asked. "What did Minato do?" Kushina set her cup down and looked at the ravenette, violet eyes cold and angry for the first time that the Uchiha had ever seen. Full lips pressed together on the redhead's face while her hands clenched into fists.

"He is going to banish Naruto on his ninth birthday and Tsunade will adopt him. After the Academy Equivalency Exam no doubt. Such a happy day is going to be ruined." Mikoto covered her mouth and gasped as she heard the heartless act.

"That's not the worst part." Kushina continued. "Naruto... saw and heard the whole thing." Mikoto was silent. "And seeing him there, seeing his eye through the crack... I was paralyzed with terror! By the time I recovered Tsunade and him were gone. I didn't sleep at all and... and... in the morning I saw him in the kitchen."

Mikoto saw the proud smile she wore then and worried at the sudden change. "He... Naruto can control silver dust like the Sabaku clan can do for iron and gold dust so well he was cooking breakfast with it. I was so amazed! Without a teacher, he gained such an amazing and versatile ability and has such fine-tuned control of it!"

Kushina's eyes then glazed over and teared up. "But... When I tried to apologize to him, you know what he told me?"

Mikoto wasn't sure she wanted to know, but Kushina needed to get this out, so she placed her hands on her childhood best friend's and smiled comfortingly. "What?" She asked.

Kushina's tears flowed freely. "He thought I was another assassin wearing a disguise! 'My mother hates me.' He said. 'She looks at me with nothing but distaste and fear.' He said that we assassins need to either choose a different disguise or be better actors. Then he told me to shake in fear and speak in a quivering voice, because that's what his mother would do. He told me that if I didn't leave, Minato and the __real__ Kushina would kill me."

Mikoto saw the tears Kushina was shedding for her mistake and only had four words to say. "What will you do?" At that, Kushina smiled.

"I'm going to make sure my children become far stronger than their predecessors, I'm going to earn back my son's trust no matter what and I'm going to make Minato pay for abandoning him heartlessly and without penance. I'm going to earn my right to be called an Uzumaki back the long and hard way."

Mikoto smiled, glad to see her friend finally back after eight long years. "Tell me how I can help."

 ** **[Senjuu Compound]****

Tsunade looked at the calm boy before her. His intelligence generally made her proud. If she had to label the three triplets then Naruto would be unsung hero out to prove his worth, Tsunami would be the devoted sister who kept the three together and Arashi would be the intelligent seeker of knowledge and truth. It reminded her of her team, oddly enough. Jiraiya was an orphan, teamed with the genius of their class as well as the Senjuu heiress and wanted to show he could be better than what people thought of him. Orochimaru wanted to know everything he could, taking any outlet to gain the knowledge. She somehow became the chains binding her two less than compatible teammates together.

Despite similarities, they were vastly different. The triplets loved each other unconditionally despite not always showing it. Each one wanted to protect the other two from any danger. She knew that was why Naruto had yet to tell his younger brother or his sister. She also knew that unless she told him, he might go snooping in town and get the wrong idea. Arashi was mature for his age, but still an impressionable child. Just a seed of doubt could grow into a tree of hatred later on.

"This does not leave the room." She said after minutes of silence. Arashi nodded once. He had patiently waited as the Sannin contemplated and decided to remain silent so as not to cause her mind to change.

"Long ago, before the hidden villages came into existence, the ninja clans were trapped in everlasting war. Daimyou hired them to fight their battles, kill their opponents from the shadows, destroy uprisings. There were five feared above all others for different reasons. The two most infamous were bitter rivals, the Senjuu and Uchiha. If one was hired, no matter how much money, the other could not be used for the same mission unless it was on the opposing side.

"Another of the rivals were the Hyuuga, wielders of the Byakugan specializing in taijutsu capable of devastating an opponent without using any force, the Juuken. They hated the Uchiha nearly as much as the Senjuu and were rivals because of their bloodlines both being part of the Sandai Doujutsu, the Three Great Eye Techniques.

"The fourth was a clan mastered in fuinjutsu and bukijutsu, holding varying bloodlines because of their vast family and the bloodline-enhancing qualities of their kekkai genkai. The Uzumaki. The Whirlpool Clan was allied to the Senjuu and another clan feared possibly more than any of the others for their psychopathic tendencies and terror-inducing beserker state when in battle.

"The Kaguya Clan had a strange bloodline. The Shimotsumyaku was not a doujutsu bloodline like the Hyuuga and Uchiha nor a natural sub-elemental nature like you Namikaze-Uzumaki triplets hold, but something completely different. It is the third type of bloodline, a corporeal or body-type not unlike your Adamantium Chains and the Uzumaki's enhanced healing factor."

Arashi nodded. "What could this... Dead Bone Pulse do?"

Tsunade frowned. "It allowed one to manipulate their bones in order to form weapons of them. They could use some process to replicate their bones while making them simultaneously grow out of their body to form tools harder than chakra steel." Pausing, Tsunade recalled witnessing a Kaguya fight in the war. "The only one I ever saw fight could make swords from the bones in his arms and fire bullets from his fingers. Using only those two, he killed over one hundred shinobi and kunoichi in an ambush and only died after Katsuyu melted him with acid.

"The reason the Kaguya are so feared is because on top of their deadly bloodline, they have two seemingly common traits to those who awaken the Shimotsumyaku. The first is a psyche which is imbalanced, giving them a higher likelihood at some sort of insanity, generally psychopathic tendencies. The second is a healing factor which activates in battle, adrenaline is the trigger I believe, that means their injuries heal rather rapidly when fighting. Every recorded holder of the Shimotsumyaku shared three attributes. Snow-white hair, pale skin and two red dots on the middle of their forehead above their eyebrows."

"They fear he'll go insane and kill everyone with bones and since he has the Uzumaki blood..."

"His healing factor and Shimotsumyaku will be vastly enhanced to create something far more lethal." Tsunade finished. "They don't realize that that same Uzumaki blood will keep him from psychopathic urges unless he is driven there." Arashi looked at the ground in thought, pursing his lips in concentration.

"Arigatou, Tsunade-baa. I think I understand now."

"What will you do?" She asked, curious about how he would take the news.

"I need to get stronger. Nii-san will be in danger from those who hate these Kaguya. He wants to keep us safe, but he doesn't think about himself. I have to be strong enough to keep him safe or Tsunami would never forgive me." He nodded and looked at Tsunade. "I'm an Uzumaki and even if Naruto is one of these Kaguya, he is still my nii-san. An Uzumaki must put blood before anything else."

Tsunade smirked and looked at him, content in the reply. "You better train then, or Naruto-chan will become too strong to catch up to." Arashi nodded and turned around, opening the door to leave. "And Arashi?" He looked at her. "Train with your siblings. A team of three working in tandem can far outmatch a stronger opponent if they watch each other's backs. I would know."

"Hai, Tsunade-baa." He replied and left. She looked back down at the scroll on her desk and opened it back.

"They shouln't be split up... but Naruto-chan is not safe in that house right now. I'll properly train you and raise you like you should've been. With my help, you'll finally merge the Senjuu and Uzumaki into one clan." She smirked. "And I know just the way to do it." She chuckled as she read the first line of the scroll.

 _ _Proposed Marriage Contract of Senjuu Naruto and Uzumaki Tsunami__

"Don't ever count this hag out, Minato. I'm full of all sorts of surprises." She said to no one in particular as she re-rolled the scroll and let the blood seal do its work in locking its contents. "You might be a genius but I didn't live to my age by being an idiot, Hokage- _ _sama__."


	16. Chapter 16

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter XVI****

"Forest of Death?" Tenten repeated in curiosity as Naruto jumped, catching himself on a silver platform and nodding. The two were right next to each other.

"Yeah. It's a training ground that usually only Jounin-level ninja use but whenever the Chuunin Exams are held here in Konohagakure, the genin have to come here for the Survival Examination. The entire forest is extremely large, acres and acres of land double the size of the Senjuu and Namikaze-Uzumaki Compounds combined. For some reason the ecosystem here creates monster-sized bugs and animals and houses deadly predators like lions and wolves."

Tenten widened her eyes. "And you train here?" She asked. Naruto nodded.

"Well, I know a place where they don't like to go. Not sure why, but there are a few of them; empty groves that make great places to train. Plus, my dust protects me even if I don't see a danger." Tenten nodded, looking around as she gripped her kunai tighter.

"Let's get to one of these groves then." Naruto smiled and some of his platform rose up around her.

"Hey, I won't let any friend of mine get hurt." He told her with a smile that calmed her down.

"Arigatou, Naruto-kun." Tenten replied, feeling a bit warm in the face despite the cool air gliding up this high had. They stopped then and Naruto forced the platforms to slowly lower themselves to the ground before dispersing. The bit of dust around Tenten stayed though. "You forgot some." She pointed out.

Naruto shook his head. "It won't move." He said with a frown.

 _ _"Looks like a Resonance."__ Tsukiyomi told Naruto. __"Happened to me a few times. Your desire to protect young Ten-chan resonated into those particles and they will protect her."__

 _ _Really?__

 _ _"Hai. I will have to teach you the Compulsory Conscription ability of your dust to replace what you lost, but that dust there will now only protect her."__

Pursing his lips, Naruto shook his head and smiled. "Looks like you've got some protection now, Tenten." He said. Her eyes widened as she looked at the dust, slowly raising her hand to touch the powder.

"What do you mean?" She asked as her finger came close to the dust, but not quite touching.

"Well..." Naruto looked down and grabbed a rock from the ground before suddenly tossing it right at Tenten's face. She flinched, but was surprised when the powder caught and crushed the stone, causing a greyish dust to drop to the ground.

"Wow..." She made contact between her index finger and the silver, causing a surprising reaction. The particles suddenly all shot to her finger and compacted themselves into a ring. She looked at it curiously.

Naruto slowly approached Tenten and studied the ring around her finger. "I'm not sure exactly what happened, Tenten, but that silver will protect you against any danger to yourself. It's power comes from the moon, as all silver is blessed by the moon." She looked up at him, seeing him looking at the ring. His eyes seemed to have a strange emotion. Longing?

"The moon?" She asked, causing him to look up and match his eyes to her own. She saw him wave a hand, forcing his own dust to take the shape of a sphere above himself.

"The Moon has power over Earth just as the Sun does. Its light grants us vision in the dark nights of each cycle. Its pull forces water to create tides against the coast. Those blessed by it have abilities unexplainable from naturally high-powered illusions to the ability to look through the past and future. Kag... I mean Tsukiyomi is strong in ways many can't see on the surface."

Tenten looked at the silver band and slowly twirled it around her finger while nodding. "I think I understand. Since silver is the moon's metal...?"

"The moon's power directly affects it." Naruto told her, remembering some of his kaa-chan's and Tsukiyomi's lessons from the day before. "The closer to night it is, the faster it will move. The closer to a full moon, the more force the constructs can take before having to become dust again. I'm not sure if you can actually learn to control the silver there since it somehow resonated with your chakra though..."

Tenten grinned at the possibility. "That would be really cool." She admitted. "If I could incorporate even a small amount of silver dust into my style..." She frowned then. "Wait, you can control this dust pretty easy, right?" Naruto nodded. "Why practice shurikenjutsu then?" Naruto grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.

"Well... I don't want to rely on one thing. Plus... if I can keep my silver secret, wouldn't it be better?" Tenten pursed her lips.

"I hadn't thought of that. You've got a point." Sighing, she gripped the kunai she still held. "I think we should begin your practice though. The first step would be figuring out which projectile is most suited to you. Shuriken are easier to hit a target with but senbon can be used with medical knowledge to cause all sorts of problems to a target." Naruto nodded and thought a moment.

"I'm definitely going to be baa-chan's apprentice so I'll go with senbon." Naruto said with a teasing grin to the bun-haired girl, making her playfully punch him on the arm.

"As if, Uzumaki. I'll be the one to be Tsunade-sama's successor. Got that?" Her matching grin proved it was made in good fun and despite the events of last night and this morning, Naruto actually felt genuinely happy.

 ** **[Hokage Office]****

Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Clan Head, the Kiroi Senko, was a powerful shinobi, a strong Kage and a genius among the best of the best. Adorned in the robe and hat of his office, he made a striking figure. Seated in the desk his predecessors had sat in before him to rule his beloved village, he had an air of calm wisdom and righteous virtue as those who came before him had shared.

Even as he looked over the slowly diminishing pile of paperwork and either signed his approval or used his veto powers to deny something he thought was unnecessary or rooted in corruption, the strongest of Konoha was buried in thoughts ajd contemplation. His inward musings were not necessarily items of stress, but relief for himself.

Despite the problems his wife had with his impromptu deala with Tsunade, Minato was rather content, and even proud, concerning the plan to make Naruto a Senjuu. There would be those who saw his action for what it was, abandoning the eldest. He knew he would have more support though. It would not be difficult to spin it so others thought he was doing it to grant Tsunade an heir so the Senjuu could live on.

Minato was nothing if not charismatic and with the adoration of his villagers, his charm would be that much more powerful.

Stopping to read the lines of a particular piece, he sighed. The Civilian Council was getting a bit outnof hand recently. They had been pushing more and more bills meant to increase their power and diminish thatmofmthe ninia military and himself. It was expected though.

Without a genuine threat to the village they could see, the Council forgot just how much they needed his shinobi and kunoichi. Without Konoha's forces completing missions, the economy would drastically be harmed. A majority of the taxes were taken from the mission payments and without those funds several programs set in place would tank, leading to chain reactions around the entire village. Should the village fall from economic collapse, many ninja might seek sanctuary and employment elsewhere and make Konoha vulnerable.

From there, Minato didn't want to think of it. Weakness was something any decent ninja would exploit to their benefit. Many villages would surely benefit from Hi no Kuni losing dominance over the Elemental Nations.

Shaking those stray thoughts away, he vetoed the request to change the Academy Graduation Exam for peacetime. If he even let up a small bit in quality, it would lead to a higher gejin mortality rate and that was something he did not want on his hands. He had enough kills for a lifetime already.

The blonde stopped his work as that thought led to another. A full circle back to his eldest...

Naruto was quite a complex obstacle... He was born of an Uzumaki and a Namikaze who had zero looks or abilities of the bone-wielders, yet he exhibited the entire appearance of a Kaguya. He could possibly activate his Shikotsumyaku at any time and once he did...

It was quite amazing really, how such a devastating kekkai genkai that would useful to the village was the cause of just as much fear. He knew how much some of the best ninja under him hated his son for simply existing. Fugaku believed his attempts were secret, but Itachi was quite the useful spy.

Frankly, the Kiroi Senko didn't care that much. Naruto's survival thus far was proof that he would make a good weapon of the village until he inevitably lost his mind. If Fugaku succeeded, most of the village wouldn't care and those few that did would be sated if the Uchiha patriarch was punished severely.

Hm... Should Fugaku sicceed, it might be best. His life could he taken and either Mikoto or Itachi would be Clan Head next. One was loyal to his wife and the other was loyal to him as long as he eore the robe and hat.

Chuckling, Minato shook those thoughts off as he looked over another piece of paperwork. Best not to get distracted by flights of fancy during work. He needed to focus while here in the office. Daydreaming could be done at home.


	17. Chapter 17

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Heir to the Goddess Chapter XVII****

Tsunami breathed deeply as she finished her most recent attempt at the shunshin. While she wasn't tripping anymore, it was far from perfect. The good news was she had discovered exactly how the D-rank space-time ninjutsu worked.

By forming the ram seal, one could channel chakra through their body to do two things. The first purpose was a sort of chakra shell, reinforcing the body and strengthening the muscles simultaneously. The second purpose used a strong pulse of chakra from the feet to actually rocket the user forward. Between the two, chakra actually vibrated every molecule in one's body and allowed one to pass through solid objects.

Tsunami's problem was that she continued to overshoot her target by quite a bit. There was a kunai she placed in the exact center of the training ground and she wanted to be able to stop by it. On one end, she could take off fine. She was fine during the jutsu, chakra reinforcing her body and a healing factor to rid any effects of the high speeds that might strain her small body. It was the brakes that got her each time.

Based on the first and third law of motion that were basic principles of physics, stopping was a simple matter of sending an equal powered chakra pulse from the opposite direction of movement which would end any unbalanced forces upon the user. It was unfortunate that Tsunami was not the best at paying attention in theory classes. She preferred to simply learn by practice. Knowing the laws that ruled the aspects of this jutsu might have helped her.

Looking back at the kunai a mere ten meters away from her, Tsunami clasped her hands in that most common of seals for non-elemental ninjutsu and focused. She felt her chakra instantly spread throughout her body and opened her lips, a low voice escaping. ****"Shunshin no Jutsu."**** Her heels released a burst of chakra, sending her speeding forward.

Cutting the flow of chakra, Tsunami slowed down but growled as she noticed she overshot by nearly two meters. At this rate she would quickly fall behind her brothers.

"I hope you realize it is not the rainy season, Tsunami." She heard a familiar voice and turned around to sed her blonde brother, arms crossed as he watched her. Hearing his comment seemed to trigger some sort of intuitiveness in her as she realized her hair was rising slowly amd on fire.

Calmling her breath, Tsunami dispersed the embers and smiled to the blonde. "I wondered where you went. I'm used to onii-chan leaving bit you usually stay in the Compound." Arashi uncrossed his arms and sighed.

"I... had something important to talk to Tsunade-baa with." He told her. A vague answer was all he decided to give her. If she was to find out about Naruto's treatment, it would need to be the right way. She was quite... Emotional. Especially when it came to their nii-san.

"What about?" She asked. Arashi knew she was genuinely curious, so he decided to give her a part of the answer.

"I learned a bit about some clans and kekkai genkai we might run into when we become ninja." She nodded with a smile.

"You always want to learn things, Arashi-kun. Your head is gonna explode one of these days!" Arashi lightly chuckled.

"Maybe." Shaking his head, Arashi smirked. "Why don't we spar, Tsunami?" He asked her, sparks crackling over his fingers. Tsunami smiled but shook her head.

"That wouldn't be fair, Arashi-kun. I've been trying to get the shunshin down for hours. My chakra is pretty low." Arashi sighed, dispersing the electricity.

"Suppose I'll have to be your partner then." Both heard a voice and turned to its origin.

"Onii-chan!" Tsunami disappeared fast enough she seemingly mastered the shunshin in an instant tackled Naruto to the ground, squeezing him tightly.

Arashi watched the scene with conflicting emotions. He was happy and sad simultaneously, glad his brother still had another beside himself who cared yet the fact that his elder brother was discriminated upon for no other reason than his looks deeply hurt him. Should he not be given at least a chance to prove himself before being condemned to persecution by the masses?

That fact instilled conviction into Arashi's heart. Naruto wouldn't be able to stay safe from all sides. He would not be able to watch every angle for danger. Arashi would get stronger so he could be there to protect Naruto.

Naruto finally got up somehow with Tsunami next to him, smiling brightly. This was when Arashi arrived next to his siblings. The blonde noted that his nii-san had a look in his eyes. It was something he had not seen in a long time.

The smile he wore touched his eyes for once. It was not the usual one he wore but a much smaller, almost non-existent quirk of the lips. The small expression looked somehow... more genuine to Arashi though.

"So, what do you say, Arashi? Want to spar with me?" Naruto asked with a smile. "I want to see how strong you've become." Arashi gave a small smirk and reached into his trench coat, taking out a kunai which he hed in a hackhand grip.

As sparks danced along the chakra steel, he widened his grin. "Let's go, nii-san."

Naruto mirrored his younger brother's smirk as Tsunami backed away, content to watch them. Ten orbs of silver quickly materialized behind him, five to each side. Gripping his kunai tighter, Arashi channeled more lightning into it, forming a small ball electricity on the tip before he dashed forward at him.

Naruto focused on his Gindama and Arashi's lightning-enhanced kunai was blocked by a shield of silver, sparks conducting from steel to silver. Naruto whistled lowly. "That's a dsngerous ability, Arashi. Don't want to get hit."

Arashi smirked. "Not much use if your silver is able to block me each time, nii-san." He retorted before smoke enveloped his body. When it dispersed, a log was in his place.

"Kawarimi no Jutsu..." Naruto mumbled, flicking his eyes around as he searched for his younger brother. "Quite useful, otouto. And quite ingenious of you to stall me long enough to mold your chakra." The white-haired heir saw his Gindama then move on their own and did nothing to restrict their movement.

It was the correct decision as a large crescent arc of white lightning slammed into them. Had Naruto not jumped away from his silver barrier, he might have been struck since the power behind it actually forced the chakra-infused dust to disperse. That crater and scorch mark would take a while to clean up.

Seeing Arashi a few meters away, he noted his younger brother's heavy breathing. "Are you okay, Arashi?" He asked, concerned. The blonde stood up straighter, gripping his kunai tightly.

"I'm fine, nii-san. I simply used more chakra than I intended in that attack." Naruto grinned.

"That was pretty destructive though. If my dust didn't block it long enough for me to jump away I would've lost. It would probably kill someone without our healing factor." Arashi smirked at his brother's observation, proud his nii-san felt that way. "If I don't train hard, you might actually catch up to me."

"We seem evenly matched though." Arashi said but widened his eyes as he suddenly felt pressure around his ankles and wrists. He saw silver dust restricting them and suddenly more began to wrap around his legsand arms, immobilizing the limbs. His whole body from shoulders down were wrapped up.

Naruto smiled as he approached the blonde. "You're not the only one who uses conversationto distract his opponent. If you're not looking for it, my silver is nearly impossible to spot."

"You got me, nii-san." Arashi conceded. "It was a bit underhanded, but we're ninja after all." Naruto grinned and let his dust disperse in the air, once more nearly invisible.

"That was so cool!" Tsunami said as she rushed to her brothers' sides.

"Yeah, Arashi's lightning is really impressive." Naruto commented, looking at his brother. "How hard is it to control?"

He hummed in thought. "Well, I can make my chakra lightning-natured easily and if I can picture it, the electricity forms into any shape as long as it's touching me or something I touch, like a kunai."

"What about that lightning slash?" Tsunami asked. "It was really strong!"

He chuckled and looked at his kunai, still held in his left hand. "Actually, that's based one a Fuuton technique I read about. Swordsmen in Sunagakure have a jutsu called Fuuton: Kaze no Yaiba that has different versions. One such use it has is to coat their blade in wind and slash, releasing an arc of cutting wind that can cut through even Doton defenses like a hot knife through butter. Using lightning, I trained myself to replicate it. I still don't have the control quite down though, so it's pretty taxing."

"Have you named it yet?" Naruto wondered. "If you make a ninjutsu, you should name it. A verbal command of a ninjutsu helps with learning the right chakra to put in it. Just like handseals. If you consistently use the name when you practice, your body begins to learn how to mold chakra when the name is said." Arashi looked at his nii-san.

"Where did you learn that?"

"Well, baa-chan told me that once. She names even her taijutsu moves. With no handseals, using verbal commands helps her mold her chakra faster when she attacks."

Tsunami grinned. "So that's why ninjutsu have names. I thought it was just something we did to tell the difference between them."

"Well, that's part of it." A new voice announced. The triplets turned and saw their mother with the speaker, a familiar face to them.

"Miko-oba-chan!" Tsunami greeted. Arashi simply nodded while Naruto smiled in greeting.

The Uchiha and Uzumaki matriarchs approached the children, glancing around the training ground they had used. Mikoto suddenly chuckled. "I swear, all Uzumaki tear training grounds apart, no matter what generation." Kushina gaped at her friend.

"I resent that!"

"But you don't deny." Mikoto teased the former jinchuuriki before looking at the triplets. "My, my. You three sure are growing up fast, and causing destruction at levels far superior to what you should be." Arashi blushed a bit, looking away. "Oh, don't be embaressed, Arashi-chan! Once that power is controlled, you'll become strong. I remember my Itachi-kun nearly burned down the house during training once!"

"Not one of his best moments..." Kushina mumbled. "I told him not to practice Katon without someone with Suiton around."

"Anyways..." Mikoto continued. "Both Naruto and Tsunami are partially right, but there is a third reason jutsu are given names that dates back to the Clan Wars era. Back before Senjuu Hashirama and Uchiha Madara formed the first hidden village here in Hi no Kuni, before they even lived, the first battles between ninja brought forth a sort of... competition.

"Each clan believex they were superior to the others and wished to be able to prove this. This was the true beginning to ninjutsu. Before, a primordial version of it known as Ninshuu was used. The difference was that Ninshuu involved no handseals nor commands as it was pure manipulation of chakra. When ninja became prideful, even those who still used only manipulation without seals to focus chakra, and sought to prove they were superior, they formed ninjutsu and named them.

"The point to this was the belief that the creator had the privilege of both naming and being recorded as the creator of the Hijutsu, which was the first variation of ninjutsu that all could use but was only passed downa clan verbally. When one created a technique a whole clan utilized, they became known among the shadows by the shadows, the shinobi.

"True ninjutsu was actually created by the clans holding sub-elemental natures as at some point they learned how to separate the basic natures from their natural sub-elemental nature. It was not long before all other clans learned how to utilize basic natures as well since a shinobi is nothing if not a spy."

"Basically, the names have the purpose of organization, control and... pride then?" Arashi asked. Mikoto nodded and the Namikaze thought a moment. "Raiton: Getsuga no Jutsu..." He mumbled.

"Crescent Fang?" Kushina asked. Having witnessed the spar she smiled. "A good name as any. You three look tired from your training though. Why don't I make something to eat?"


	18. Chapter 18

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter XVIII****

"This is really good, kaa-chan!" Tsunami exclaimed. The older redhead merely smiled to her only daughter, content her children enjoyed her cooking. Even as a deadly kunoichi, she still has the desire to take pride in her meal preparation. Her only patrons were her family - and a guest every now and then - but she still instilled all her pride as a mother and wife into her food.

"It's only yakitori, Tsunami-chan." She replied. "I went out to get you three since it had just finished." Kushina explained as she bit into her own chicken. "Nothing too special. I'm saving that for in two weeks." At that, the three triplets couldn't help but smile to varying degrees - if one looked closely they could see the eldest's didn't reach his eyes though.

"That is quite a special day." Mikoto nodded. "Your eighth birthdays."

"And also the day we Force your Kon no Buki into existence." Kushina told them. "Your Spirit Weapon is very important, an extension of yourself brought to the material plane from your own energy with abilities that must be controlled. Just like my Aka no Shi for which I was named after."

"You never told us kaa-san, what can it do?" Arashi asked curiously, causing her to smile.

"Well, my Red Death actually has seven kenjutsu which only it can use. They are based on the Seven Deadly Sins of Pride, Lust, Greed, Sloth, Gluttony, Wrath and Envy but that's all I can say. The most improtant part is that you must never reveal the workings of your Weapon's abilities to anyone. It is a part of you and if its weaknesses are realized, so can your own be."

Her serious tone gained the full attention of her children and they took her words to heart. "Dp you know what they will be?" Naruto asked. Kushina frowned and nodded.

"In reality, there are thirteen possibilities. However, I believe I know what yours are. The fact is that I've kept something from you three until now, but you deserve to know. The Uzumaki Clan has once before birthed triplets holding the Taiyoton, Tsukiton and Soraton." The triplets looked surprised, though Naruto was surprised at her telling them more than the information. He hadn't known that she knew.

"The original triplets had their own Spirit Weapons. Amaterasu held a golden o-katana which blazed brighter than the sun and just as hot, able to turn to ashes anything it cut. Tsukiyomi wielded a scythe of bones and a silver blade capable of six moon-based abilities, though the scrolls do not explain what. Lastly, Susano'o had a battle-fan which could contort the seas and sky to his will with nothing more than a swing. I believe these three will be similiar to your Konbuki, if not identical."

Naruto pondered what he heard. Tsukiyomi did in fact have such a scythe and that vision with Arashi fighting him further proved Kushina's theory. He didn't know about Tsunami though, as he hadn't seen Amaterasu or a vision of Tsunami fighting. If two were correct, the third probably was as well.

"And after we materialize our Weapons, what happens?" Naruto asked. Kushina smiled to him, throwing him off a bit.

"Well, no matter whether I'm right or wrong, we'll have to find teachers for each of you. Problem is..." She frowned. "There are no scythe or fan-wielders in Konoha. Fans are a Sunagakure weapon and scythes were only common to the former village of Yagakure no Kuni, but they were wiped out years ago by a man named Hidan." She frowned. "I suppose bojutsu would help though, and there is no clan better in such an art in all the Nations as the Sarutobi."

"What about me?" Arashi asked.

"Bojutsu, otouto." Naruto pointed out. "A battle-fan highly resembles a staff when closed in size and shape." He pointed out, recalling his vision. "Couldn't hurt to turn the long-range fan to a close-range staff when fighting certain opponents, Arashi." The blonde pondered that and nodded.

"I didn't think of that, nii-san." He conceded. "You are right." Tsunami pouted.

"That means you'll get onii-chan all to yourself in training bojutsu." She pointed out while grabbing Naruto's arm since she was next to him. "Not fair!"

The others chuckled at the interaction, though Kushina's further threw Naruto off so much he began searching for those genjutsu strings again.

"I think I may have to help you three as well." Mikoto said, gaining their attention. "As an Uchiha, I have a high affinity to Katon. Something neither of your parents can boast. True, Kushi-chan has the largest Suiton affinity in Konoha and your father holds an affinity to Fuuton and Raiton only trumped by Asuma and Kakashi respectively, but I think I'd like to be the one to show Naruto-chan and Tsunami-chan the fire element."

Kushina looked at her best friend in surprise and then to her children. "I think that's a wonderful idea." She said. "I taught your eldest, so you'll teach two of mine?" Mikoto smirked.

"I can teach all three certain things, but Arashi has no Katon affinity. Doesn't mean he won't get my tort... Training." She quickly corrected herself. Despite it being a warm day, the triplets shivered. Kushina chuckled.

"I suppose a schedule shall need to be made after your eighth birthday once different sensei are chosen and accept." Kushina commented.

"What about our kekkai shijou?" Arashi wondered. Kushina smiled.

"Thought no one would ask. The Uzumaki Archives give descriptions on some abilities the original triplets had. With time and help, I believe you can re-create them and maybe even find other abilities of your kekkai shijou."

"Though from that fight, certain abilities have shown themselves." Mikoto noted. "To Naruto-chan and Arashi-chan at least."

"Nope! Me too!" Tsunami said cheerily and snapped, forming a fireball in her hand. "I got fire like Arashi has lightning!" Mikoto saw the fire in her hand and already was smirking before Kushina even spat a sealless, wordless ****Suiton: Teppoudama****. The younger redhead spluttered as she was soaked in the process of Kushina putting out of the fire.

"No fires in the house!" She commanded. "The last thing we need is to have this building burned down! We don't exactly have a spare one like other clans, you know." Mikoto chuckled.

"I'm sure there's room enough at the Uchiha compound until you get it rebuilt. Would be quite amazing if one of your children unlocked the Mokuton though. Then you could have all the buildings you wanted." Kushina sighed.

"The Uzumaki might be close to the Senjuu, but the chances are astronomically miniscule. There's about as much chance as one of them gaining the Sharingan." She retorted. "Besides, one legendary bloodline each is already enough." That caused the ravenette to smirk.

"One? With your luck they'll be S-rank by sixteen with more power than the Gokage combined." She joked. "And save the world too."

Kushina shook her head. "You're impossible, Koto-chan. Can't you ever be serious?" Mikoto hummed in thought before taking a bite of her yakitori.

"Maybe if the Five Great Villages ever work together. Fat chance of that though."

While the two had been talking, the triplets had somehow gotten away underneath their noses. When Kushina noticed this, she sighed. "Can't ever keep them still." She complained.

"Remind you of someone?" Mikoto asked. "I seem to recall you being the same, always training with every second of daylight to master your own bloodline. Though, I did see what you meant with Naruto-chan." She sighed. "When you were nice to him, he seemed almost... shocked. I even felt his chakra spike at one point."

Kushina bit her bottom lip and put her face in her hands. "My Kami... what have I done? I'm a monster..." Mikoto looked at the redhead and shook her head.

"You are many things. You are misguided, you are deluded, you are an idiot sometimes, but you aren't a monster. You admit to your mistake and wish to atone for it. That makes you as human as anyone else. You feel guilty for your crime and that's what matters. You can't change the past, all you can do is learn from it and make the future better by your actions in the present."

Kushina looked up at her friend, keeping tears at bay througb sheer willpower. "Do you really think so?" She asked. "Can I really atone for what I did and gain Naruto's trust? Can I actually be the mother he needs?" Mikoto pondered that a moment before replying.

The answer struck a chord deep in Kushina's heart, forcing pain worse than any injury through her entire being. Every molecule resounded with deep despair as her most trusted friend, her sister in all but blood crushed her hopes with a single, terrible word. So short a response, yet so heavy an answer. "No."

Kushina gripped the table to keep herself from crying. Mikoto continued. "Not his mother. I would love to say yes, but Kushi-chan, realize something. Eight years of neglect can't be healed overnight. If you told me correctly, he saw the deal Minato made with Tsunade and that means if anyone will be his mother..."

Kushina looked at the ground. "It will be sensei. Then... What can I do?"

"You can't be his mother, but you can still regain a relationship with him. As a sensei, as a friend, as a role model and as a support. Just because you realized your sin and want to make up for it, doesn't mean anyone else will. He is still feared among the populace and eventually that will break him if no one is there to keep him together."

Kushina shut her eyes before lifting her head and looking directly into Mikoto's eyes as she opened her violet orbs. "I will." Mikoto nodded with a smirk.

"Good, then looks like you'll have to take more of an interest in your childrens' training. Five S-rank pillars keeping him protected and sane are better than three, after all. Sensei and us can only do so much, you know."


	19. Chapter 19

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter XIX****

"What are we doing in here, nii-san?" Arashi asked worriedly as they stood in one of the few forbidden areas of the building.

Underneath the Namikaze-Uzumaki estate there was a certain chamber guarded by dangerous traps and seals. The only way to get inside without having to deal with those risks was to deactivate them using the blood seal inscribed on the entrance, a large, circular door of chakra steel very similiar to that of a large safe.

"Don't you remember my promise, Arashi?" Naruto asked. "We're getting a blank clan scroll." Lifting his hand to his mouth, he bit his thumb and caused blood to flow before swiping it on the door. A seal array glowed bright blue as soon as he did and suddenly the door opened.

"What if we get caught though?" Arashi asked.

"We won't! Kaa-chan is with Mikoto-oba-chan and tou-chan is still in the office!" Tsunami pointed out. "Don't worry, Arashi-kun, onii-chan wouldn't do it if we were in danger." She suddenly leapt forward and hugged him from behind, nearly making him trip. "Right, onii-chan?"

Naruto smiled to the two of them. "Right. I would never put you two in danger. The big brother has to protect his siblings, you know."

 _ _At what cost, nii-san?__ Arashi thought. __Don't hurt yourself protecting us. That's no way to live... Your pain isn't something to hide from us. Tsunami and I can share your pain and help you, protect you.__

"What are we waiting for? Let's go inside!" Tsunami exclaimed and opened the door.

"Just... Don't touch anything else." Arashi said as he followed the two inside. "Alright?" Naruto nodded agreement.

"Wonderful idea." He looked around at the giant chamber and saw it was set up like an enormous library, shelves upon shelves of scrolls stretching in every direction. "This... presents a problem." Naruto noted.

"Where are the scrolls?" Tsunami wondered, looking at her eldest brother curiously.

"I overheard them saying once that the empty ones were 'along the wall' of the chamber. There arenthree such walls and three of us." He replied, looking from Tsunami to Arashi and back.

"Split up?" Arashi asked, gaining a nod from Naruto but a pout from Tsunami as she tightened her grip on Naruto's arm.

"Come on, Tsunami. Split up so we can find it and..." Naruto thought a moment. "I'll buy you as much ramen as you can eat." The redhead grinned.

"Just you and me?" Naruto nodded.

"Just you and me." The whiskered girl widened her grin and kissed Naruto's cheek.

"Let's find the scroll!" She suddenly took off towards the right, leaving her brothers alone. Naruto chuckled and shook his head while Arashi turned left and began walking.

"Be careful, nii-san. No telling what's locked in some of these shelves." Naruto just smiled.

"I can handle myself, otouto." He then took the final direction, straight forward, and made his way towards the back wall.

 ** **[Naruto's Soulscape]****

"Baa-chan." Tsukiyomi said in an attempt to gain the ancient matriarch of chakra's attention. His silver orbs watched as she rose from a meditative position, milky eyes taking in the man. Her face was in a very dissimiliar expression to the soft, caring one she wore when Naruto was around. Instead it was impatient and held a look of annoyance.

"I was watching Naruto, Tsukiyomi. What is it?" He gripped his Shinigami no Kinkama tighter as her power was released on him in the form of primordial killer intent. If the KI of these mortals at present was capable of psychological torture and even could drive someone to suicide, Kaguya's was capable of coma-inducing mental shock and inducing heart attacks.

Keeping calm, Tsukiyomi kept his eyes on hers even as visions of his death passed over those silver irises. "I know you are watching over our heir, but I have some news you need to hear. It is far from something you'd like to hear though." This made the woman shift from annoyed to curious. "Naruto is in grave danger, I fear."

Kaguya glared at him, suddenly disappearing with one of her Ash-Killing Bones against his throat. "Explain. Now." Tsukiyomi swallowed, fear clouding his thoughts. Kaguya's Rinne Sharingan eye had opened and her Byakugan had activated. Snow-white hair was raised up with tendrils hardening and forming into spikes that were pointed at each and every major organ in his body as well as other targets, such as the very part that defined Tsukiyomi as being a male.

"Indra and Ashura." He said with calm he didn't feel. "Tsunami is Ashura's heir and I believe that Indra's is nearby, most likely here in Konohagakure. If those two chose another heir, you know what it means, baa-chan. The last time ended one Age and brought another. If it has happened again in only a century, it means something big is coming. I don't think it is related to us choosing Naruto as heir, but certainly he will play a part in it."

Kaguya released her hold of the moon god and turned to look elsewhere. Her third eye shut, Byakugan deactivated and hair returned to normal as she thought over what he said. "He is not your heir, Tsukiyomi. He is your reincarnation. There is a large difference. Only nine beings have the power to choose heirs after death. Hamura, Hagoromo, their children and myself. While Indra and Ashura both present minor obstacles alone, together, if they gain Hagoromo and Hamura's Yin-Yang Sealing of the Six Paths technique, they are an enormous risk."

"Hai, baa-chan. What should we do? Knowing ji-san, he will somehow convince Tsunami and Indra's heir to seal you away." Kaguya stayed silent a moment. "Baa-chan?"

"First, Naruto-chan needs to be trained. Away from prying eyes. He still has a year before the deal that demon made with Tsunade comes into effect and in that time he will have difficulty training in my gifts, afterwards shall be much easier since only two individuals inhabit the Senjuu Compound."

"Hai. I will make sure to hold my deal of three free lessons, no strings attached, but those missions will need to be completed. It is beneficial on many levels to all three of us that they are done." Tsukiyomi paused. "My weapons need to be found though, as well as my cloak. If he gets those, his chances of survival skyrocket." He sighed. "Wherever they are."

Kaguya turned back to look at him. "He will find them. I am more concerned with this... event you are hinting towards. As much as I hate to admit it, those two have the annoying habit of appearing at times of change. Similiar to how Tsuchinoko liked to appear just to incite war." She shook her head. "Unfortunately, I felt something strange on the eclipse I didn't want to think about."

"You did too? I knew those six were around, but two so close was not even in my head." He sighed. "I'm not sure which will be more troublesome... Indra, Ashura, Benihime, Satori, Tsuchinoko and Yutu were all mighty strong, stronger than anyone of my generation. As powerful as your children were, I suppose it is to be expected."

At the mention of Hagoromo and Hamura's power, Kaguya gained an angry fire behind her milky eyes, but kept it under control. "Quite." She looked up at the blood moon in the sky of the Soulscape. "All we need now is for my sons to choose heirs... Naruto-chan is in grave danger."

"There is a bit of good news, baa-chan." Tsukiyomi told her, gaining her rapt attention immediately. "While there are six other heirs to the nine Outsutsuki deities, they will not, necessarily, be against young Naruto-kun. What would happen if, say, some of those heirs were convinced to join him in whatever goal he decides to pursue...?" Kaguya's eyes widened before suddenly her lips curled into a cold, cruel smirk.

"Your first lesson to my Naruto-chan shall be basic psychological manipulation, Tsukiyomi-kun. Is that clear?" She asked in a sickly sweet tone with a too innocent smile in place which scared the scythe-wielder more than when she had her ash-killing bone up to his throat.

"And what will you be teaching him in this coming year prior to his naming as a Senjuu, if I may ask?" Tsukiyomi wondered aloud. He saw Kaguya's smile quirk up a tad more as her straight hair lifted up before shooting forward and tightly constricting him.

"The branch of my abilities pertaining towards what these shinobi call hair ninjutsu. Given Naruto has my chakra, he will be able to use his own to a high level." Tsukiyomi struggled but had to make a comment.

"And what if Kushina decides he needs a haircut?"

"Lesson One: Follicle Hardening." She pointed out and suddenly Tsukiyomi felt his entire body squeeze as those thin strands turned harder than any Kaguya's bones. Had he been anything but a spirit, Tsukiyomi had zero doubts the strands would cut through his flesh like a hot knife through butter. Or steel wire through skin.

"H-hai..." He said before Kaguya released him, making him drop to the floor in a heap. Slowly, he stood up and used his scythe to keep his balance as he recovered from Kaguya's attack. To think that just her hair could defeat him was truly immasculating.

"Now leave so I can watch over my son, Tsukiyomi. And do not dare bother me again if it is not of dire consequence." Before he could respond, several bone shards shot past his face on all sides, just barely missing him, making his heart jump at the closeness in his fatality. "Understand."

"Of course, baa-chan." Tsukiyomi said before disappearing in a flash of silver light, leaving Kaguya to herself once more as she sat in a lotus position and once more looked through Naruto's eyes. A smile touched her lips as she saw the triplets' trip has been successful without consequence.

"I'll help you fill that scroll, Naruto-chan. Your training will be fit to fill hundreds once we're done and you're power will exceed any danger you face if I have anything to say on it. No one will ever hurt you, my son. They will have me to deal with, Outsutsuki Kaguya-hime, Usagi Megami and the holder of all the Shinjuu's power."

Her third eye suddenly opened. "And I am anything but merciful."


	20. Chapter 20

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter XX****

"Come on, onii-chan! You have to come!" Naruto looked at his sister with a smile.

"I'm quite content here on the roof, Nami-chan." He told her.

"But it's your birthday too! You'll never be friends with the other heirs if you always hide whenever they come over!" She argued. "So come on, before we're late!" She commanded as she grabbed his arm and tried to pull him. Naruto sighed and stood.

"Alright, alright. I'm coming." He told her, making her grin triumphantly. "I suppose baa-chan would've made me come down anyways since she's bringing Sakura, Kabuto and Tenten." Tsunami's eyes flashed something at that statement, it was an emotion Naruto couldn't quite place though.

Before Tsunami could react, Naruto jumped from the roof tp the ground, landing easily. "Wait, onii-chan!" She disappeared in a swirl of fire, reappearing right next to her brother as proof her shunshin training over the last two weeks. "Don't leave me behind!" Naruto shook his head with a smile.

"I won't, I promise." She smiled and grabbed onto his arm, azure eyes happily looking into his pale electric blue orbs. "I suppose we should head to wherever the party is gonna be held, Nami-chan. Baa-chan's Compound, right?"

Tsunami nodded. "Yep. All the clan heads and heirs are coming, so we need more room."

"And a few others." Naruto said, again causing that strange look in Tsunami's eyes he couldn't quite figure out. "Arashi is already there?"

"And kaa-chan and tou-chan." Tsunami said as they walked towards Tsunade's Compound. The fields between the two passed by while the siblings were silent, an easy silence that Naruto used to think

He was not looking forward to the party one single bit. Baa-chan, his family and the other students were one thing... But the Clan Heads...

Most of them hated him. Mikoto-oba-chan didn't, and he didn't think the Aburame Clan Head did for some reason, but those guys were always hard to read. He hadn't met all of them yet, but the chances were extremely high.

Then there were the heirs. He tended to stay away from them so he had only met the ones in baa-chan's medical classes so far. Over those less than three weeks of study, he had spent some time with Hinata, Ino, Yakumo, Hana and Shinkou as well as Sakura, Kabuto and Tenten. He would be lying if he said he didn't appreciate being around others who didn't fear or hate him.

But now he had the heads, their spouses, children and, in the case of the Sarutobi Clan, the head's father. Not counting the Uchiha, Uzumaki, Namikaze or Senjuu Clans - the ones he already knew all members of - there were still many clans left. Fifteen in fact.

He shuddered at the thought of so many people in one place who potentially hated him. Fortunately Tsunade was there to protect him though. And his dust. His ears caught something from Tsunami next to him.

"What was that, Nami-chan?" He asked, making her puff her cheeks out in indignation.

"I said 'We're here, onii-chan.' You were spaced out." Naruto focused and saw she was right as the Compound was only a few meters away.

"Yeah. I suppose we are, Nami-chan." He replied as he saw a few people gathered in one of the fields. Tsunami grinned as she saw Ino and Hinata, dragging Naruto with her.

"Come on, I want to introduce you to Ino-chan and Hina-chan. You're never around when they visit, so you haven't met them." She said. As they got by the duo, she was surprised though.

"Actually, I have. Ohayo Ino-san, Hinata-san." He told the two heiresses. The blonde and bluenette saw the pair and both smiled.

"Tsunami-chan, you actually got Naruto-kun to come out? I didn't think anyone could do that."

"How do you know them, onii-chan?" She asked. He smiled, but Hinata answered.

"Naruto-kun is in the same class under Tsunade-sama as us." Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. And Tenten too. It's us, plus the heiresses of the Kurama and Inuzuka, the heir to the Hebi, a civilian-born girl named Sakura and a boy named Kabuto. I guess Tenten is the only one you've met so far though." Tsunami nodded, but Naruto felt a slight increase in her squeezing his arm.

"Naruto's the second best in control and only two of the older kids can beat him in medic training. Hana and Kabuto have previous training though." Ino told Tsunami, making Naruto scratch the back of his head and grin sheepishly.

"I don't know about that..." He said a bit shyly. "It's only been two weeks, so the aprrenticeship is still anyone's." He pointed out.

"That's very true, Naruto-chan." A new voice spoke up, causing the four heirs to look up. Tsunade stood there, smiling to her former student's children. "But today is not one of my lessons, so leave those out of your head, alright?"

"Hai, baa-chan." He answered. The blonde looked at the four.

"Naruto-chan, can you come with me a moment?" He looked at her and began walking to her, Tsunami in tow. "Just Naruto-chan. I promise I'll give him back, Tsunami-chan." Tsunade said with a knowing smirk to the girl.

Hesitantly, Tsunami let go and watched as they left. Her two fellow heiresses looked on, Ino smirking. "Tsunami-chan, does someone have a bit of a crush on their brother?" The redhead suddenly blushed to rival the Hyuuga of their trio.

"N-no!" She denied. "Of course not!"

Ino smirked knowingly while Hinata pressed her fingers together, blushing lightly at that thought. "If you say so..." Ino replied before looking around. "Where's your other brother?" She asked.

"Arashi-kun? I think he's with the boys." Tsunami said before giving her own grin. "Does someone have a crush on my brother?" She asked, returning the favor as Ino grew her own blush.

 ** **[Senjuu Library]****

Tsunade led Naruto through the extremely large archive of the Senjuu Clan's documentation of their history, styles and information on other clans they had gained. "Baa-chan, what is it?" Naruto asked.

"Naruto-chan... there is something you must know." She began even as she turned down an aisle of the massive storage of scrolls. He was at her side even as she traveled. "I will tell you, but first you must let me know something."

His pale electric blue orbs looked at her and nodded. "What is a clan?" She asked.

Naruto frowned, surprised at the inquiry. Looking at the ground, he thought long and hard about it. Tsunade's tone told him this was a very serious question. "A group of people with similiar traits who share blood." Naruto finally answered. The blonde took a scroll from one of the diamond-shaped slots in the wooden shelf.

"So, they are a family?" She wondered. As soon as the words left Tsunade's lips, Naruto shook his head. "They aren't?"

"A family is..." Naruto paused. "Like you and Shizu-nee." Tsunade tilted her head in confusion. "Family ties aren't restricted to blood..." He said, thinking of Kaguya. "A love between two people that is... unconditional." Thinking about his home life, Naruto frowned. "A clan doesn't necessarily equal family. A clan simply exists to... pass on a style. It's more of a sensei-student type deal than a family at minimum."

Tsunade frowned herself. "That is... quite an opinion." She commented while tapping the scroll against her palm. "I find myself agreeing, in fact. By your words, you categorized every clan. Because everyfamily can be a clan of sorts but..."

"Not every clan can be a family." Naruto finished. "What's in that scroll?" He asked. Tsunade looked at it and handed it to him.

"A secret you must hold for exactly one year. Open it and read, Naruto-chan. This is proof that you are correct about clans and families." Naruto tilted his head in confusion but shrugged and opened it anyways.

 _ _Upon the ninth anniversary of the birth of Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto, it shall come to pass that he is banished from the Namikaze and Uzumaki houses and bloodline, losing any and all inheritances, property, rights and privileges such titles provided. All legal relationships to any member of either clans shall be furthermore null and void upon the terms this Contract fulfills.__

 _ _Upon public Banishment of Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto directly following the Academy Equivalency Exam all heirs are needed to perform by law, Senjuu Tsunade shall formally and publicly declare Naruto a member of the Senjuu Clan and name him her heir, completely and utterly erasing any chance of the Namikaze-Uzumaki Clan-Head from rescinding this agreement under Article IV.45B of Konoha Clan Law stating that a banished member may only be reinstated into a former clan if notma part of another clan with the single exception being by marriage.__

 _ _Upon the naming of Senjuu Naruto as sole heir, he shall gain all inheritances, property, rights and priveleges such a title provides and lawfully be named as Senjuu Tsunade's grandson. Senjuu Tsunade shall thereby become solely responsible for the well-being, protection, education, sheltering, nutrition, training and other such responsibilities as his lawful guardian.__

 _ _The undersigned hereby agree to the Contract, its terms and all possible, potential and/or actual consequences coming from it, sharing equal responsibility in it.__

 _ _Senjuu Tsunade__

 _ _Yondaime Hokage Namikaze-Uzumaki Minato__

Shutting the scroll, Naruto tucked it into his yukata and looked calmly at the Sannin of Slugs. His next response amazed her as much as worried her. "I already knew, baa-chan."


	21. Chapter 21

****Heir to the Goddess****

 ** **Chapter XXI****

"You... knew? How?" Tsunade asked with wide eyes. Naruto stared back before answering.

"I was looking through the doorway of the dojo..." He admitted. "I was coming back from training and heard something and the door was cracked so I looked..."

The Senjuu held a hand to her mouth as that sunk in. For two weeks he'd known... and told no one? Only seven and had to live with the knowledge for over a year his parents were going to abandon him?

Naruto kept his eyes to the floor, awaiting his baa-chan's response when suddenly he felt warmth surround him. Looking up, he saw that she was hugging him gently. "Naruto-chan... why didn't you tell me before? You can't hold that sort of secret inside or you'll lose your mind. Remember something, Naruto-chan, remember it well. I will always love you and you can tell me anything. No matter what ever happens, those two statements will always be true."

With Tsunade's kind words and warm embrace combined, Naruto lost control and hugged her back tightly, sobbing into her shoulder. "I-it hurt s-so much baa-chan! They really h-hate me!" He told her through tears. "M-minato w-was smirking and K-ku-kushina saw me. I s-saw that f-fear in her eyes. Th-they're just like e-everyone else i-in the v-village..."

Tsunade felt her own eyes barely hold back tears as she gently stroked the back of Naruto's head. What could she tell him? That it would be okay? __His parents gave him up, how will anything be okay?__ That it would get better? __Damn you Minato and Kushina! How dare you! He's nearly broken inside... He's very close to losing it and becoming the monster everyone wants him to be.__

"Naruto-chan, it will get easier." The boy looked at her, tears slowing in their path but still flowing rather freely. "The pain. Losing someone places a hole in your heart, a speck of darkness in the part of you where there's light. That hole never goes away on its own, it can never be filled if you're by yourself. You can fill that hole with others, just as you can help fill others' holes. Do not let this consume you, Naruto-chan. Don't forget it, but don't let the memory and pain consume you."

Naruto was silent and thought over what she said. "Let me tell you a story about one of my teammates, Naruto-chan. His name is Hebi Orochimaru, one of the two worst missing-nin Konoha ever produced." She paused. "He was not always as the stories describe him.

"Orochimaru's parents died in the First Ninja World War, leaving him alone while still but an Academy student with only his younger brother, Shoumaru. He was named a genin just a year later, late by months to join the fighting of war.

"There were three versions of him I ever saw, Naruto-chan. The first was why I felt a crush on him as a young girl; it was a version of Orochimaru that while strong and cold, cared deeply for Shoumaru and was willing to do anything for him. Honestly, not unlike how you act toward your siblings." She smiled to him, ruffling his hair and inciting a small smile from him. "This Orochimaru lived for Shoumaru.

"The second and third versions I saw appeared during the Second Ninja World War. The first was after we began fighting Iwa ninja. Orochimaru somehow or another learned that his mother was killed by a member of Iwagakure's Gohai Clan."

"Gohai?" Naruto asked curiously. "I haven't heard of them." Tsunade chuckled.

"That's surprising given that every Tsuchikage has been from the Gohai. They are extremely powerful as all three branches happen to hold at least one sub-element, those who awaken the full bloodline have a kekkai touta as well: either the Ash Style, Smoke Style or Dust Style depending on their branch.

"The second Orochimaru was something I'd rather never existed. He was sadistic and sociopathic, a monster. This Orochimaru once told Jiraiya something about the enemy Naruto, something that still chills me to the bone."

 _ _There is no such thing as mercy. There is only getting rid of a threat or letting it limp on, one daynregaining enough strength to get rid of their threat, us. That is war. There is no righteousness to what we are doing. No one os right, everyone is wrong. Grow a damn spine Jiraiya! Kill him or I swear to Kami I'll kill you!__

She shuddered. "When we wage war, Naruto-chan, no one is in the right. Everyone is guilty as long as they've taken just a single life. That means every ninja is guilty because everyone has to kill."

"And... the third?" Naruto asked.

"He is the present Orochimaru. At some point in the war, Shoumaru joined in as a Chuunin. He... was killed by a traitor within Konoha. Once news of this reached Orochimaru, I know he died inside. He lost his entire family and was left as the only member of the Hebi Main Family. He became obsessed with life and death, with immortality and reincarnation."

Naruto nodded, understanding. "And that led to his immoral experiments..." He guessed.

"Not automatically. He slowly went that path, gradually becoming darker. It was such a slow road... None of us, not even sensei, not even Orochimari himself could see the changes. If I would've known, I wouldn't have showed him the scrolls on traditional medical treatment and surgery, on theory... The very tools which enabled his experiments."

Naruto thought about that a moment. "You're not afraid I'll lose my mind like him?" He asked. Tsunade smiled and ruffled his snowy spikes.

"Of course not. No one ever really ends up like another and no one ever completely loses their mind. Plus, you have something Orochimaru chose not to have. Something to keep you grounded. Orochimaru tried to fill that hole on his own, he tried to find a way to bring Shoumaru and his parents back, to keep them living. In the process, I think he might've forgotten why he started though.

"You're very different to my former teammate though. You have Tsunami and Arashi, Mikoto, your fellow students in my classes and me. I know you'll meet others as well, others to help fill any hole in your heart that may appear. You will be able to come back from anything, Naruto-chan. After all, no matter how many times the moon becomes dark it always returns to its full light."

Naruto nodded with a smile. "Arigatou, baa-chan." Tsunade smiled back and looked into his eyes.

"Put a Henge over your eyes so no one knows you were crying. You need to atay strong for your siblings, Naruto-chan. After that, we'll head back out, okay?" Naruto did as he was told easily before the blonde Sannin gave him a quick hug and ruffled his spikes once more. "Let's go say hi to your guests, eh birthday boy?"

 ** **[Outside]****

"Kiba... you're so troublesome." Shikamaru mumbled as he lay down, staring up at the clouds above. "Arashi doesn't want to spar because he might get in trouble for beating you so bad."

Kiba growled in response. "No way could that happen! I've been getting lessons personally from my kaa-san and she's the best fighter of the whole clan!"

"But, Arashi-san's tou-san is the Hokage." Shino pointed out rather drily. "It would be logical to assume that if two individual's skills are proportionally based upon the skills of their sensei that Arashi's would far exceed yours." Kiba was silent, trying to decode the shaded boy's statement.

"Basically, my tou-chan is stronger than your kaa-san so Arashi-kun would win!" A new voice cheerily stated, making the five heirs turn to look as Hinata, Ino and the speaker, Tsunami, approached. "And I agree! Arashi-kun might not be able to beat onii-chan, but definitely could beat you, Kiba."

Kiba glowered while Chouji asked something between his chips. "Is Naruto going to show up this year?" He asked.

"Of course he is! We already saw him." Ino said. "He's with Tsunade-sensei right now, but I'm sure he'll show up soon."

This made Shikamaru sit up. "He actually showed up?" Tsunami grinned.

"Yep! I got him to come." Arashi chuckled, finally shutting a scroll he had been reading.

"Nii-san has a certain weakness. His resolve melts around Tsunami and she basically can get him to do whatever and go wherever she wants." Tsunami grinned wider. "And vice-versa." Her cheeks became red, but she didn't deny it.

"Well, maybe we can finally actually meet him then." Kiba pointed out. "He's like a ghost or something..." Arashi let those words sink in and inwardly frown.

 _ _Not a ghost... a demon as far as most people are concerned. I just hope our generation doesn't feel the same. Nii-san, you need to show them that they're wrong, that you're just like everyone else. If they see the human in you, I'm sure that more and more people will see you for that and not your potential Shikotsumyaku. I just know that you can change all their minds, I believe in you.__

"I wonder where Sakura and Tenten are?" Ino suddenly asked, looking around.

"And Sasuke." Arashi pointed out. "I know he'd spar Kiba." Then he heard what Ino asked. "Wait, Sakura and Tenten?"

"Yeah, they're two other students in Tsunade-sensei's medical classes. There's only nine though. The others are Naruto-kun, Hinata, Yakumo, Kabuto, Shinkou and Hana." She explained. "Naruto-kun told Sakura, Tenten and Kabuto they could come here to the party and they seemed adamant about wanting to. I haven't seen any of them but Kabuto yet, but he's with Hana and Shinkou."

"Oh, they were with sensei earlier." A voice from above pointed out. Looking up, the others saw Yakumo sitting there with a sketch pad on hand, drawing. "But they went somewhere else right before she took Naruto to the library."

"How long have you been up there, Yakumo-chan?" Ino asked, making the brunette shrug. "Some might consider that stalking."

"I was drawing up here before anyone got here. Not my fault." She replied before shutting the book and looking at the blonde heiress. "Naruto is out now though, so why don't you all surround him at once like you want. I'm sure that will definitely get you on his good side." Despite her sarcastic tone, the others looked toward the library and saw she was right. Naruto and Tsunade were both walking, but not towards the group of heirs and heiresses.

"Where are they going?" Arashi wondered.

"I'm gonna find out." Tsunami said before turning and disappearing in a swirl of fire.


End file.
